It took just hours after Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that the state is lifting all outdoor capacity limits beginning June 1 for the Michigan Athletic Department to send out its own update.
According to a Thursday night U-M press release titled 'We're Back!' the department is planning on allowing full capacity at athletic events beginning in the fall, meaning Michigan Stadium will — barring unforeseen changes — hold up to 110,000-plus fans at football games.
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Until June 1, the athletic department will continue to follow all state-ordered mandates, including on mask wearing and capacity limits.
Michigan football is set to host seven home games at The Big House this fall, including contests against Western Michigan (Sept. 4), Washington (Sept. 11), Northern Illinois (Sept. 18), Rutgers (Sept. 25), Northwestern (Oct. 23), Indiana (Nov. 6) and Ohio State (Nov. 27).
Other Michigan fall sports slated to play seasons in front of full-capacity crowds are women's field hockey, men's soccer, women's soccer and women's volleyball. It's important to note that volleyball is played inside, and thus the regulations on crowd size are not affected by this development.
Read the university press release in its entirety:
Earlier today, Governor Whitmer made the following announcements:
• Beginning Tuesday, June 1, all outdoor capacity limits will be removed, including at sporting events. Indoor settings will increase capacity from 30 percent to 50 percent.
• Beginning July 1, all broad COVID restrictions will be lifted.
For the time being, U-M will continue to follow our current face covering policy that requires masks indoors, on university transportation and outdoors if in groups of 100 or more.
Based upon this latest order and what we now know, this guidance from the State of Michigan clears the path for Michigan Athletics events to return to full capacity beginning with the fall competition. Should federal, state, local or campus public health guidelines change, we will update you as soon as that information becomes available.
Prior to the fall season, we will communicate a set of general safety guidelines and steps that our department has taken to ensure the health and safety of student-athletes, staff and guests. For more information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, please visit UofMHealth.org.
Go Blue!
Stay tuned at TheWolverine.com for more on this story as news develops.
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