Ohio State's 2020 spring game has been canceled.
The move to cancel this year's end-of-spring scrimmage at Ohio Stadium, which was scheduled for April 11, was announced by Ohio State on Wednesday night, following the lead of many other events that have been shut down or closed to the public due to the worldwide coronavirus outbreak.
All other Ohio State sporting events for the remainder of the academic year “will be limited to student-athletes and their immediate family members, team coaches and staff, essential event management, operational and facility staff, and credentialed members of the media.”
Tickets purchased online or via phone will be automatically refunded within five to seven business days; tickets purchased in person can be returned to the point of purchase for a full refund.
As of now, Ohio State is still planning to return to the practice field as scheduled on Tuesday. Ohio State's March 25 pro day for NFL prospects is also still expected to be held as scheduled at this time.
Ohio State's decision comes after several other schools also made the decision to cancel their spring games, including Cincinnati, Kent State and Michigan, and many other schools announced the same restrictions to close all sporting events to the public. Additionally, the Big Ten announced Wednesday that “all further Big Ten Conference winter and spring sport competitions, including championship/tournament events, will also be limited to student-athletes, coaches, event staff, essential team and conference staff, TV network partners, credentialed media and immediate family members of the participating teams.”
Mike DeWine, the governor of Ohio, announced Wednesday that he will be issuing an order limiting spectators at all indoor athletic events in the state of Ohio, while he also encouraged people to consider avoiding mass gatherings of any kind as the spread of COVID-19 continues.
With the spring game now canceled, Ohio State fans will have to wait until the season opener against Bowling Green on Sept. 5 for their opportunity to watch the 2020 Buckeyes take the field in the Shoe.
