COLUMBUS, Ohio — During a weekly news conference on Thursday, Gov. Mike DeWine was asked about his thoughts on the plans that the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals recently announced that could allow fans to be allowed at games.
“Very good plans, plans that we think make a lot of sense,” said DeWine. “We got to see exactly where we are before we make any decision about professional sports having fans, but it’s a good plan. The Bengals have a good plan, the Browns have a good plan.”
According to DeWine, one of the items that is being looked at is having four different groups of fans at the stadiums so that each of the groups could be split to avoid contact with each other.
“As we look at the season to do something, it would certainly be at a much-reduced number of fans,” he said.
DeWine applauded both teams for creating plans that are “doable and thoughtful,” but a decision regarding them is not there yet, he said.
“We’re going to continue to look and see maybe at what point we could do this. So, if we can keep things moving forward in Ohio and this virus doesn’t spike too much, it certainly is a possibility," DeWine said.
The Browns Plan
The Responsible Restart plan for FirstEnergy is guided by seven principles:
- Physical separation of at least six feet of social distancing
- Requirement of masks or other face coverings [TT1] for all individuals (age 10+)
- Health screening, including via a Fan Health Promise that requires pre-event self-health screenings for all fans, and on-site temperature checks and health questionnaires for all staff
- Enhanced cleaning and disinfecting protocols throughout the venue
- Comprehensive hygiene protocols for all fans and staff
- Extensive training, signage and communication
- Accountability, flexibility and compliance protocols to provide oversight and adapt to evolving circumstances
The stadium will implement a quadrant system that separates fans into specific zones with a dedicated entry gate based on their seating location, the release states.
Fans must agree to a “Fan Health Promise,” including a pre-game self-screening and self-temperature check, which will also be required for all Browns staff members and vendors at the stadium.
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