ORLANDO, Fla. — Tens of thousands of people are expected to crowd into the stands at Camping World Stadium Wednesday for the Cheez-It Bowl between Clemson and Iowa State University.
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The stadium can hold more than 60,000 fans.
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In 2020, bowl games were limited to a capacity of no more than 9,000 guests, but this year, there are no limits.
Crews are already busy getting the stadium ready for the crowd.
“We will probably be closer to 40,000 fans for this game,” Florida Citrus Sports CEO Steve Hogan said.
Florida Citrus Sports is the management company responsible for producing the bowl. Hogan says there are advantages to playing the game at Camping World Stadium.
“Playing in an outdoor stadium, with what the science tells us about that in dealing with COVID…we’re very fortunate that we are not in a dome,” Hogan said.
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Hogan says they were in more of a “bubble” protocol last year with much less contact between players and fans.
While people are expected to be in closer contact this year, Hogan says they’re still taking safety precautions.
“At the field level, we were much further away…a lot less contact,” Hogan said. “This year, we are a little bit closer, but we’re still doubling down on vaccinations and masking in close proximity.”
Vaccinated guests won’t be required to wear face coverings, while unvaccinated gusts will be encouraged to do so.
Other safety protocols in place include cashless transitions for food and merchandise, heightened cleaning procedures, and hand sanitizer made available throughout the stadium.
“We are in a routine that we’ve been in for the last year and a half,” Hogan said. “Two years now, and that’s not changing.”
Kickoff is scheduled for 5:45 p.m. Wednesday.
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