The NFL can survive a season without fans but they surely don’t want to

The NFL is faced with uncertainty in 2020 but they can play in front of no one.

As the NHL, NBA, and MLB start prepping for altered seasons the NCAA and the NFL seem content to roll out their seasons with little or no changes.

One change that will most definitely come to the NFL is the lack of fans in the stadiums cheering teams on. The NFL has canceled two weeks of pre-season games and the Hall of Fame game due to the COVID-19 pandemic but more cancellations will be on the horizon.

Strict guidelines that have reduced the number of media at training camp practices have been implemented and we can be almost 100% sure at this point that teams will not allow fans to attend training camp practices this year. If they do, it would come as quite a surprise.

Of course, the bigger question is whether or not fans will be permitted in stadiums. If they are, what capacity will it be? How will seating be optimized for social distancing? These among many other questions are driving the NFL crazy.

There is also a current theory that fans may be asked to sign a waiver to attend games. This “waiver” would absolve the NFL and teams of any responsibility should a fan contract COVID at a game.

The NFL should not be too concerned about fans in the stands right now. The reality is that they need to focus on player safety first and foremost as it relates to the pandemic. The NFL stands to lose a lot of money if fans are not in the stands but if players are passing the virus to each other, there won’t be anyone healthy enough to play a game.

The NFL can’t simply sell fans virtual tickets to their fanless games. The league is under contract with Direct TV for Sunday NFL Ticket and they would face legal challenges should they opt to try and sell even season ticket holders a viewable plan. Perhaps they could avoid that if they sold single game television packages that would force fans to buy one team’s games for the season.

NFL attendance will be low this year but there are no questions that fans will attend if the gates are open. Fans are dying for football right now and the thought of any extended off-season is not something they want to deal with.

Teams are expected to start camps at the end of this month but there are no miracle cures on the horizon that will make that a 100% probability, no matter how much the league wants to put out a product.

The future we have discussed since March is now here and in the next 30 days, the NFL is going to find out what options they actually have. Chances are we will see a delayed season start that pushes everything back a few weeks. It is a sad truth but consider that the league is not here to give us enjoyment. It is a business and if the NFL feels that they will lose too much money by starting on time, without fans, without concession sales, and overpriced parking lots, delaying the season could ensure they recoup some of these losses.