How many Clemson football fans will be in Death Valley this season?
Ever since we found out that the plan for 2020 was for Clemson football to still play a season, the follow-up question has been basically whispered in unison: How many fans will be allowed in Death Valley?
Some places around the country are starting off the year with no fans in attendance. Others, like Texas A&M, Alabama, Georgia, and others, have said they’re planning for around 20-25 percent capacity.
Just down the road from Clemson, University of South Carolina AD Ray Tanner discussed a plan the university has submitted that would allow the Gamecocks to play at 24.6 percent capacity- or right around 20,000.
But the word from Clemson football has been relatively silent.
This week, The Clemson Insider released a report with the first significant details in Clemson’s plan for fans this season. TCI’s Will Vandervort explained that Clemson has to go through a process with the state of South Carolina’s Department of Commerce and Gov. Henry McMaster to get their plan approved and that the Tigers could see their plan approved as early as the end of this week.
As far as the number of fans are concerned? Here’s what Vandervort reported:
"“From what we have heard, Clemson is looking at a plan that will allow around 23 percent of Death Valley’s capacity. Memorial Stadium officially holds 81,500 fans. At 23 percent, this year’s number would come to about 16,000 fans.”"
Vandervort reiterated that neither Clemson nor South Carolina has been approved as of yet. Sources also said that Clemson will likely allow tailgating for those who have parking passes, but they will be monitoring the lots and attempting to keep big crowds from gathering in one specific area or spot.
We should expect some kind of crowd for Clemson football games, but it will be much less than anything we’ve ever seen before
With the Darlington Raceway getting its plan approved for fans in the stands of the Southern 500 in just a little more than a week from now, it should be expected that Clemson football gets a plan approved to have fans in the stands as well, but who knows what the actual capacity limit will look like when it’s all said and done.
At 23 percent- which is what is being reported- Clemson would have right around 16,000 fans in the stands. There have been rumors about how ticketing for the six home games would be dispersed, but nothing has been finalized as of yet.
The Tigers have ‘time on their side’ at least in the fact that they don’t play a home game until Sept. 19- which is less than a month from now- but we should expect to hear some things soon about what we should expect with fan attendance and how things shape out as far as the stands and tickets are concerned.
The Clemson football team is set to open their 2020 season in a little more than three weeks against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in Winston-Salem.