James Hartnett

As we approach the historic one-year anniversary of a global pandemic that forced the sports industry to shutter its doors to the public, fans begin to question when they will be allowed back into stadiums to cheer on their favorite teams. 

Here in Pennsylvania, Governor Tom Wolf has maintained strict indoor gathering limits for all entertainment venues — including sports stadiums — of no more than 500 people; however, in states that were more affected by the pandemic, governors have decided to allow fans to attend games as early as late February.

In New York and New Jersey, governors are allowing a small percentage of fans to attend games, but New York has a stipulation before fans can cheer on their favorite teams: Governor Andrew Cuomo is requiring a negative test within 72 hours of attending the event. 

New York and New Jersey have plans installed weeks ahead of time to prepare for fans entering stadiums this month, but Pennsylvania officials have done little to provide details about the possibility of limited capacity at professional sporting events. Tom Wolf has seemingly taken a step back and prioritizing other matters, but Philadelphia city officials met on February 26th to discuss easing restrictions within the city and many hope that fans at sporting events will be a topic of discussion.

Current Philadelphia Commissioner Thomas Farley is optimistic about fans getting back into stadiums soon but warns that some might not be happy with how many fans are able to attend games.  

“I’m optimistic there would be some fans in the stands on Opening Day for the Phillies, but how many is something we have to see,” Farley said.

Opening Day for the Phillies is more than a month away on April 1st, 2021 while the Philadelphia 76ers and Flyers are currently in the heart of their seasons. Farley’s statement fails to address the two teams actively in season, instead addressing a team that begins more than a month from now.

The 76ers and Flyers were key contributors to the meeting on February 26th, after both organizations requested permission from the City of Philadelphia to allow a limited capacity at their home games. Philadelphia sports fans should not expect to sit down in the Wells Fargo Center anytime soon, though there may be grounds for optimism about entering the gates of Citizens Bank Park.