Albany, N.Y. — New York is making an exception to its restrictions on large gatherings to allow about 6,700 fans to attend a Buffalo Bills home playoff game in January as long as all test negative beforehand.
That’s about 10% of the stadium’s capacity. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the football team staff will only allow fans with negative tests to enter the stadium, where they will be seated distanced apart. Fans must wear masks once they leave their vehicles in parking lots until they return to their vehicles, and will be asked to leave if they take off their masks.
Cuomo, who had sent health department staff to study COVID-19 protocols at stadiums in other states, defended his administration’s efforts to allow fans at the game at a time when more then 11,000 New Yorkers a day are testing positive for COVID-19.
He said the pilot program could be a model for re-opening businesses with rapid testing, which his budget director Robert Mujica said will be conducted in the three days before the game. Cuomo is directing his department of health to contact trace all 6,700 fans following the game.
The department didn’t immediately provide specifics on the pilot program, including whether the state has the resources to contact trace all the fans in the days following the game and if fans who were exposed to COVID-19 in the week before the game will be allowed to attend.
“We believe we are the first state in the nation to run this kind of pilot. We believe it can be very instructive to us going forward,” Cuomo said.
State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker previously said he was looking into how to address the potential for a post-game surge because of fans gathering before and after the game.
Zucker and Cuomo urged all fans Wednesday to not hold and attend tailgates, parties and other large gatherings.
The team, on its website, said tickets will be offered to club seat and season ticket holders, based on seniority, and likely not the general public. Fans will have to pay the $63 cost of testing. The game will be played on Jan. 9 or 10.
The Bills have clinched their first AFC East title since 1995. They will host a playoff game for the first time since a 30-27 wild-card playoff loss to Jacksonville on Dec. 28, 1996, in what proved to be Bills Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly’s final game.
Extra points
Cleveland had two more positive COVID-19 tests — including one for an assistant coach — throwing its schedule into disorder as the team gets ready to play Pittsburgh on Sunday with a spot in the playoffs riding on the outcome.
The Browns have nine players currently on the COVID-19 reserve list. The team has not yet identified the positive player and coach Kevin Stefanski would not reveal which of his staff members may have to miss the season finale.
After learning of the positive tests, the team closed its facility for several hours to do contact tracing and Stefanski said players were doing virtual meetings.
The NFL is monitoring the Browns’ situation to determine whether the game needs to be moved.
… Colts coach Frank Reich announced former Pro Bowl left tackle Anthony Castonzo will undergo season-ending surgery on his right ankle Thursday. Reich did not explain how the Colts will fill Castonzo’s spot on their injury-plagued offensive line.
… The 49ers signed Robbie Gould to a renegotiated contract that keeps him on the team through 2022 with a guaranteed contract at a reduced rate from his current deal. Gould was also placed on the COVID-19 list and will miss the season finale against Seattle.
… The Chiefs plan to rest the majority of their starters against the L.A. Chargers on Sunday, choosing to risk a bit of rust over the danger of injury with the No. 1 seed and first-round playoff bye already secured.