SEC Team Makes COVID Announcement: Will Georgia Football Be Next?

Kirby Smart Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Kirby Smart Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

For Georgia football games this fall, the current plan is for Sanford Stadium to operate at full capacity, with no announced restrictions to entry. After an announcement on COVID protocols by LSU today, it remains to be seen if Georgia’s plans will change.

In order to hear the famous “It’s Saturday Night in Death Valley” over the public address system at Tiger Stadium this fall, LSU fans will need more than just their ticket.

The SEC West power announced that all fans 12 and over will need to present either, (1) proof of vaccination, or (2) a negative COVID test from within 72 hours of kickoff prior to entry in to Tiger Stadium.

With the announcement, LSU becomes the first SEC school to articulate this type of COVID game attendance policy.

Which begs the question, will other SEC schools follow?

UGA is doing everything it can to encourage the community to get vaccinated and to wear masks indoors and in crowded spaces, releasing a number of calls to action on their various social media outlets.

Currently, there is no requirement that Georgia students be vaccinated to attend school, but the university highly encourages that the student body do so.

After the announcement by LSU, it will be interesting to see how Georgia Director of Athletics Josh Brooks and the Georgia Athletics Department responds.

Fans and administrators alike are eager to see Sanford Stadium rocking with 92,746 Dawgs faithful again. The athletics department already announced that all tickets would be digital for 2021, with one of the reasons cited being the “ability to receive, share, and use tickets in a contactless manner.”

Time will tell if anything other than their ticket will be required for Georgia football fans to watch the Dawgs in 2021 Between The Hedges.

Georgia football opens up their home slate on Saturday, September 11th at 3:30 against UAB.

UPDATE: To start the season, Georgia will not require any proof of vaccination, nor will they require a negative COVID test for entry.