There’s a chance that in three weeks, Pitt and Notre Dame are playing a ranked game at Heinz Field ... in front of 13,000 fans. Maybe even 15,000 or 18,000. Heck, there’s a chance the Panthers play in front of fans this Saturday against N.C. State.
Whenever they get the “green light” to return to some semblance of game day normalcy, Pitt athletic director Heather Lyke and her staff believe they’re ready to go.
In a Tuesday morning interview on 93.7 The Fan, Lyke said Pitt has a plan in place to accommodate a reduced capacity crowd at Heinz Field as soon as this weekend.
“Between the Steelers and our team at Pitt, we have worked tirelessly to think of every single thing to prepare, and we’ve been prepared. ... We’re ready,” Lyke said. “We obviously can be socially distanced with limited capacity. ... People have a choice whether or not they want to be in any environment. So I would prefer to give them that choice.”
Pitt — which did not host fans at the Panthers’ first three home games — has already submitted a plan to state and local government officials that would allow 15-20% capacity at Heinz Field, Lyke said. The max capacity of Heinz Field is listed at 68,400, giving Pitt a bit of wiggle room to allow roughly 13,000 to 18,000 fans in the stadium.
Tailgating would not be allowed on the North Shore, Lyke said. The athletic director also added that Pitt’s plan includes full seating capacity in the suite areas, which have their own entrances, bathrooms, etc.
However, the first priority for Lyke, head coach Pat Narduzzi and the program is the players’ parents, who have been forced to watch Pitt’s September games from home hundreds of miles away, at bars on the North Shore ... anywhere but Heinz Field.
Pitt captains Jimmy Morrissey and Kenny Pickett, as well as other players, have tweeted at Lyke and state government officials, including Gov. Tom Wolf, to push for parent attendance. Narduzzi said Monday he’ll be praying that the parents get to watch Saturday’s game in-person.
“Being a parent myself, I mean, you can’t recapture these moments,” Lyke added. “I really feel that for the parents and the families, it’s the right thing to do.”
After parents, Pitt’s priority would be its students — the band, the cheerleaders and the Panther Pitt student section. In Pitt’s plan, all students (and all fans, for that matter) would be socially distanced. The band and cheerleaders would not be on the field, and the band would not march, but perform from the stands.
Next in line after players’ parents and the students would be “priority” fans. Lyke said single-game ticket opportunities would be determined by program support and donor “giving history.”
Masks would be required for every person in attendance, and that would be monitored and enforced throughout the game.
Lyke believes Pitt’s plan — for which UPMC officials offered their “approval, oversight and input” — is airtight and would provide “an incredibly safe” but not risk-free environment at Heinz Field. Before it’s implemented, though, the plan needs a thumbs up from the necessary health and government officials.
Earlier this month, Wolf’s return-to-play guidelines allowed fans to attend high school, college and professional sporting events. But the state’s 250-person limit on outdoor gatherings was imposed, essentially eliminating any possibility of that.
However, that 250-person limit and other gathering restrictions were ruled unconstitutional by U.S. District Judge William S. Stickman IV two weeks ago, a decision the Wolf administration said it is appealing. Wolf requested a stay on that order while appealing, which was denied, leaving the situation a bit up in the air.
If Pitt gets the go-ahead, it’s more likely that parents and maybe the band and cheerleaders are allowed in the stands this weekend, given how close it is to Saturday’s noon game. But beyond the N.C. State game, Pitt has two more opportunities to host fans, with Notre Dame and Virginia Tech visiting on Oct. 24 and Nov. 21, respectively.
When asked if Pitt could “ramp up” to 15-20% capacity by time the Fighting Irish come to town, Lyke said “absolutely.”
It wouldn’t be a sell-out crowd like 2015 when Notre Dame last played at Heinz Field. But given the circumstances, Lyke would be eager to welcome 13,000 to 18,000 fans for what will likely be a nationally televised matchup — one with possible ACC title game implications.
“One of the things we should note is, we’ve seen a lot of other schools and a lot of other stadiums in the country do this very successfully and very well. People who don’t want to be in that environment absolutely have that choice not to come,” Lyke reiterated. “But we want people to come to the games. And we will be prepared for Notre Dame.”
John McGonigal: jmcgonigal@post-gazette.com and Twitter @jmcgonigal9
First Published: September 29, 2020, 4:28 p.m.