Ohio State is opening the door for fans to attend some, but not all, sporting events for the remainder of the spring.
The Ohio State athletic department announced Thursday that a limited number of fans will now be able to attend men's and women's lacrosse games at Ohio Stadium, men's and women's soccer games at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium and men's and women's track and field events at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium for the remainder of the spring.
Ohio State's other ongoing spring sports – baseball, softball, field hockey and men's and women's tennis – still will not be open to members of the general public due to capacity restrictions.
“There are too few tickets available for those sports after tickets are allocated to family members of the student-athletes and coaching staffs of the competing teams,” the release states. “Any remaining tickets will be offered to groups such as students, donors and/or season ticket holders.”
Per Ohio State's release, “fans wishing to attend lacrosse matches at Ohio Stadium and the final home men’s soccer match at Jesse Owens this weekend – Sunday at 1 p.m. vs. Michigan State – can walk up to each facility on game day and receive a digital ticket with an assigned seat until we reach capacity.” Digital tickets will be free, but “all fans will be asked to share contact information in case contact tracing needs to be conducted after the event.”
Per the guidelines Ohio State has developed and formalized with Columbus Public Health, capacity is capped at 30 percent for outdoor venues and 25 percent for indoor venues with seating pods distanced six feet apart.
The following safety guidelines will also be in place for fans attending events:
- All guests and staff will be asked to remain six feet apart.
- In areas where the department anticipates lines forming, there will be stickers placed six feet apart on the floor/pavement.
- “Control Staff” and restroom attendants will remind guests to remain diligent with hand washing and safe distancing.
- Seating areas will be numbered by row and seat. Guests will receive a reserved ticket and will sit in assigned seating pods spaced 6-feet apart.
- All guests and event staff will wear face coverings at all times while attending events at Ohio State’s athletic venues and facilities.
Attendance for Ohio State's spring football game, which is scheduled for April 17 at noon, is still to be determined. There will be at least some fans in Ohio Stadium for that game, but it is not yet clear whether any members of the general public will be permitted to attend; according to The Athletic's Bill Landis, Ohio State sent an email Tuesday to Wexner Medical Center faculty and staff and College of Medicine students offering them the opportunity to enter a raffle for free tickets to the spring game.
Athletic director Gene Smith said in February that Ohio State did not plan to sell tickets to the spring game, but that Ohio State would look for a way to distribute tickets to those who have been on the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ohio State has also not yet determined the attendance that would be allowed for any postseason or NCAA championship events that Ohio State could host at the Covelli Center this spring.
