The Seattle Seahawks have one of the best home-field advantages in the NFL, but that could be negated in 2020. Due to the fact that there could be restrictions that stem from the coronavirus pandemic, Seattle is preparing to play in a half-filled or empty CenturyLink Field.
The seating capacity of CenturyLink Field is set at 67,840 people when the Seahawks play. However, that number could be significantly lower when the 2020 NFL season rolls around.
As a result, the Seahawks are trying to come up with ideas for how fewer fans can be in attendance. One of their plans includes leaving rows of seats empty during games. At the same time, they could choose to leave every other seat open to appease the social distancing guidelines.
On the other hand, the Seahawks could be forced to hold their regular-season games without any fans present. The state of Washington has a re-opening plan for King County, where CenturyLink Field is located. If the plan entails limiting the number of people attending certain venues, that could cause Seattle to have zero fans in the stands.
Troy Vincent, the NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations, noted that the league believes they will play with fans in stadiums. Of course, there is plenty that could happen in the coming months that leads to plans changing.
Without a doubt, the Seahawks would be one of the teams affected the most if there are limitations to fans. John Schneider, Seattle's general manager, realizes how important the fans are to the team.
“We would definitely miss our fans, no question … No question.”
Fans at CenturyLink Field have been nicknamed the “12th man” due to how loud they get during games. But with the pandemic still ongoing, they may not be able to have the same impact on games as they have had in previous seasons.
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