MANHATTAN — Any Kansas State football fan hoping to watch the Wildcats play games this season at Bill Snyder Family Stadium received some excellent news Monday.
K-State has received permission from Riley County health officials to host fans at all five of its 2020 home games at a capacity of approximately 25%. That means the Wildcats will welcome around 12,500 fans at every game inside their stadium, which normally holds 50,000.
The new seating plan includes enhanced safety protocols that will help to prevent the potential spread of COVID-19 in Manhattan. All fans will be required to wear face coverings at games and no tailgating will be permitted in K-State parking lots. Fans will also be asked to practice social distancing inside the stadium, and there will be no re-entry at any point during games.
“We are appreciative of the consideration the commissioners gave to all facets of our plan and their ultimate endorsement,” K-State athletic director Gene Taylor said. “Our plan is very detailed in how we intend to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 spread at a football game. We are implementing several new policies and will be strict in our enforcement in our best efforts to accomplish playing football games safely.”
This arrangement is viewed as a victory for the K-State athletic department, as no other event in Riley County is currently permitted to host more than 2,000 fans, even with written approval from county health officials.
The county’s most recent health order restricts normal public gatherings to no more than 50.
But the Wildcats received special permission to exceed those limits after sharing their seating plans and safety measures with county commissioners. There is no statewide restriction on outdoor mass gatherings. Local and county officials are allowed to set those numbers at their own discretion.
K-State will share its ticket plans with fans later this week.
“I am excited,” K-State running back Harry Trotter said. “Some fans is better than nothing. Some stadiums aren’t going to have any fans this season. I am super thankful we get to have at least some capacity … Having fans there is great. I am super excited to see how that works out.”
At 25% fan capacity, odds are good the Wildcats will offer season-ticket holders with a plan similar to the one Iowa State unveiled last week. Under that plan, all season-ticket holders will be able to purchase tickets for half of this season’s home games.
Taylor said during a meeting of Riley County commissioners on Monday that K-State hopes to offer all of its season-ticket holders the option to attend at least one game.
For now, it is unclear how many tickets will go to students, band members and visiting fans.
County health officials will pay close attention to COVID-19 test results following K-State’s first game on Sept. 12 against Arkansas State. If the country experiences a surge in positive cases afterward, commissioners said they may adjust the stadium’s fan capacity moving forward.
K-State fans that do attend games this season will benefit from a new perk that has never previously been available in Manhattan. The Wildcats will expand alcohol sales and offer beer and wine at concession stands throughout the stadium for the first time.
In the past, K-State has offered alcohol throughout its club levels and in a beer garden, but not in general seating areas.
