Leading up to Sunday’s USL Championship restart, Louisville City FC’s ticketing staff has finalized procedures allowing many of the club’s most loyal supporters in for Lynn Family Stadium’s inaugural game.
Regulated physical distancing protocols have narrowed projected stadium capacity to approximately 30% of the facility’s regular 15,304-person maximum for LouCity’s 5 p.m. matchup with Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC.
Ticketing partner SeatGeek’s physical distancing software made available 2,502 of 9,288 chairback seats. Six feet, or the equivalent of three empty chairs, are required between family seating pods.
Others admitted to Sunday’s game will be located in clubs or standing room-only supporter zones behind both goals.
“This has been a painstaking process, but one done with great care to ensure a safe experience for fans,” said Mitch Ried, LouCity’s vice president of sales and marketing. “We’re working under strict requirements based on the governor’s approval to open the stadium that will leave more seats empty than filled.
“We will continue to evaluate our fan capacity on a game-by-game basis as the 2020 season continues.”
Those without tickets Sunday can tune in on ESPN2, News Radio 840 WHAS and SiriusXM FC.
In June, amid the COVID-19 pandemic and facing the prospect of a drastically altered season, a high number of LouCity season ticket members opted to donate their funds to the club in the event they wouldn’t be allowed to attend games in 2020.
Each of those account holders — now recognized as “Honorary Owners” — have been presented a ticket option for Sunday’s game.
“The nature of distancing people around the stadium presented challenges,” Ried said. “That includes relocating most ticket holders away from their regular 2020 seats. We acted in good faith to reward our supporters with a way into such a long-awaited game, and original seating assignments will be reserved into the 2021 season.”
Those admitted to LouCity games are asked to follow stadium operator ASM Global’s VenueShield program. ASM Global, which operates facilities on five continents, also counts Louisville’s KFC Yum! Center among its 325 points worldwide.
The plan — with full details at www.loucity.com/VenueShield — necessitates temperature checks upon entry, physical distancing and that masks/face coverings be worn throughout Lynn Family Stadium. Additionally, only clear bags will be allowed in, and the facility will operate cash-free to minimize touch points.
LouCity is scheduled to play its next six USL Championship games (and 10 of the remaining 15 overall) at Lynn Family Stadium. Players are likewise following league guidelines formed in concert with the USL Players’ Association to safely return to play.
“Thankfully right now we’re in a good spot in the country and our players and our staff have done a good job,” LouCity coach and sporting director John Hackworth said. “We’ve just got to keep mitigating all of those interactions so we can continue that as we go on.”
