With one of the most turbulent NFL seasons in recent memory coming to a close, the league announced the smallest attendance allowed for a Super Bowl.
The 2021 Super Bowl, which is scheduled for Feb. 7, will include 7,500 vaccinated healthcare workers and 14,500 additional fans in attendance at Raymond James Stadium, the league revealed on Friday ahead of this weekend’s games. The previous low for Super Bowl attendance was the first one when nearly 62,000 people were there to see the Green Bay Packers defeat the Kansas City Chiefs, 35-10, at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 1967.
“These dedicated healthcare workers continue to put their own lives at risk to serve others, and we owe them our ongoing gratitude,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. “We hope in a small way that this initiative will inspire our country and recognize these true American heroes. This is also an opportunity to promote the importance of vaccination and appropriate health practices, including wearing masks in public settings.”
The majority of the healthcare professionals who will be offered tickets come from the Tampa area or from central Florida, where the Buccaneers play. Each attendee will receive a ticket for free and will get game-day experiences directly from the league. Each team will also be permitted to offer tickets to healthcare workers from their communities.
The league, which has been forced to postpone a handful of games amid COVID-19 outbreaks during the season, will continue to enforce its protocols for the big game.
“Florida is proud to host Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa to crown the champion of an unprecedented NFL season,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said. “On behalf of Floridians and football fans across the nation, I’d like to thank the many men and women who worked hard to make this game a reality, especially our front-line healthcare workers who have worked tirelessly over the past year to keep people safe. I look forward to the positive impact this game will have on the Tampa Bay area, and my family and I can’t wait for the big game!”
Four teams remain in the NFL postseason. The Chiefs, the reigning Super Bowl champion, will be going up against the Buffalo Bills, with a shot at its second consecutive title on the line. In the NFC, future Hall of Fame quarterbacks Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers will lead the Buccaneers against the Packers. Both quarterbacks are eyeing their chances to win another championship — for Brady, it’d be a record-setting seventh, while for Rodgers, it would be his second.
If the Buccaneers advance to the Super Bowl, the team will become the first in league history to play the Super Bowl, the location of which is determined years in advance, in its home stadium.
