The Seattle Seahawks have become the latest NFL American football team to announce plans to operate at full capacity when the new season gets underway in September.
The Seahawks did not welcome fans to Lumen Field at all last season due to COVID-19 restrictions. With infection rates falling and the vaccination roll-out continuing across the US, it is widely expected that all NFL venues will operate without restrictions when the new season begins.
The Seahawks’ announcement comes after the team received approval from the NFL and state and local public health and government officials. In line with Washington State reopening guidelines, fans will not be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to attend games, although unvaccinated supporters will be required to wear face masks.
The Seahawks’ first home game at Lumen Field will be against the Tennessee Titans on September 19.
Washington State is set to lift all COVID-19 restrictions on June 30. The lifting of restrictions will enable Major League Baseball’s Seattle Mariners and Major League Soccer’s Seattle Sounders to open at full capacity. The Sounders also play at Lumen Field.
Seattle’s newest major-league team, the Kraken, will enter the NHL ice hockey league from the 2021-22 season. Kraken will play at the under-construction Climate Pledge Arena, which looks set to operate at its full capacity of 17,100.
Lumen Field was known as CenturyLink Field before rebranding as Lumen Field in November last year. The switch came after communications and IT services company CenturyLink rebranded to Lumen Technologies in September.
Last month, it emerged that the Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts were the only two NFL teams yet to receive authorisation to open at full capacity next season. The NFL is said to be optimistic that the teams will be given the green light before the start of the season.
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