Buffalo Bills' COVID Touchdown Could be the Key to Unlocking Some Normalcy (article from Politico)

[Logic]

This article is currently on the front page of Politico.com. If it is not welcome due to its discussion of COVID and the fact that that tends to lead to political argument, please feel free to move or delete it. I debated about whether or not to post it at all, but ultimately decided it was relevant, constituted potentially positive news, and was worth sharing.

It seems the Bills' playoff game attendance strategy as it relates to COVID was extremely successful, to the point that is now being looked to as a model for re-opening other venues across the state and country.



Buffalo Bills' COVID Touchdown Could be the Key to Unlocking Some Normalcy
 

"On game day, masked fans had to show proof of their negative result, along with their mobile ticket, to enter the stadium through designated gates in assigned 10-minute increments to prevent crowding at the turnstiles. Thermal imaging cameras, meanwhile, scanned crowds at checkpoints to help identify fans who might have a fever. Once inside, fans, who were limited to either two- or four-seat pods, were further restricted to certain zones of the stadium and offered limited, cashless concession stand options through 10 p.m. in accordance with the state’s dining curfew.

The strategy worked. About 1.5 percent of the fans tested positive before the game and were denied entry. In the weeks that followed, no outbreaks were tied to the games.

New York is now working to expand the Bills strategy to reopen other large venues that have been shuttered since last March. A first test came earlier this week when Madison Square Garden and the Barclays Center became the first indoor arenas in New York to host NBA games, with maximum capacity set at 10 percent of available seats for fans with recent negative Covid tests. If all goes well, New York is hoping to extend the protocol to allow the resumption of weddings, concerts and eventually, Broadway shows, amusement parks and summer camps."

Edited February 25, 2021 by Logic

[1st Ammendment NoMas]

Bad topic. 

[Logic]

Just now, BillsRdue said:

Bad topic. 

Discussing how the Buffalo Bills' successful stadium attendance policy could serve as a model for other venues around the country?

I mean, if the mods want to delete it, I understand. But it's certainly relevant to discuss on a Buffalo Bills message board, and it's not as if there is any other news to post at this time of year. 

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

Can see this working for one off type events; weddings, concerts, easy too for the Bills with only 8 games a season plus playoffs.  For basketball and hockey have a hard time seeing this work 40 times a year.   Even amusement parks, are you going to spend, think I read the cost for testing was like $60?

[WhoTom]

Cool. Between this and Rivera emulating McD/Beane in his first year, the Bills are becoming the model of what to do in the NFL.

[RiotAct]

the way things are trending, we shouldn’t need most of those restrictions come early September

[Sherlock Holmes]

Pack that ***** full all season!

[ohboychoboy]

I think Exhibit A for why this approach is totally unrealistic are the Sabres.  They could have had fans in the building starting tonight, but unless I missed something, there hasn't been a word from the organization on this topic at all, outside of the survey they sent to season ticket holders shortly after NY State announced that arenas with 10K or more seats could start hosting fans effective February 23rd.  My gut feeling is the results of that survey weren't too receptive to spending not only the money required for tickets and parking, but also the cost of the test.  And if my understanding is correct, the fans would be on the hook for seeking out and paying the costs associated with the test, unlike the Bills playoff games where the test cost was bundled in with the price of the tickets.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

I thought it might be referring to the Arizona game, and the infamous 'Hail Murray'. 🤨

[RiotAct]

3 minutes ago, ohboychoboy said:

I think Exhibit A for why this approach is totally unrealistic are the Sabres.  They could have had fans in the building starting tonight, but unless I missed something, there hasn't been a word from the organization on this topic at all, outside of the survey they sent to season ticket holders shortly after NY State announced that arenas with 10K or more seats could start hosting fans effective February 23rd.  My gut feeling is the results of that survey weren't too receptive to spending not only the money required for tickets and parking, but also the cost of the test.  And if my understanding is correct, the fans would be on the hook for seeking out and paying the costs associated with the test, unlike the Bills playoff games where the test cost was bundled in with the price of the tickets.

that actually was kind of nice to have it bundled... it saved the steps of having to schedule your own “a la carte”.  

 

And yeah, only the most die-hard people would want to go thru all that to watch the Sabres in their current state.

 

But again, this should all be a moot point in 6 months.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

I agree it's a reasonable topic, and I think the discussion it's likely to spur will be anything but.

Sorry.