Boise State will have fans in Albertsons Stadium this fall after all — but only a select few
The Central District Health Board of Health approved a request from Boise State on Wednesday to allow about 1,100 fans into Albertsons Stadium for football games this fall, beginning with Friday’s game against No. 9 BYU (7:55 p.m., FS1).
Fans admitted into the stadium will include between 100 and 200 family members of players, about 275 members of Boise State’s band and spirit squad and 500 students, according to Boise State Chief of Staff and Vice President for Compliance Alicia Estey, who addressed the board on Wednesday.
Estey also said Boise State plans to admit 40-50 guests into the Stueckle Sky Center for games, and interim Boise State Athletic Director Bob Carney added there will be about 35-40 members of the security staff in the stadium.
Fans likely will also be allowed to attend the No. 21 Broncos’ final two regular-season home games on Nov. 12 against Colorado State (6 p.m., FS1) and Nov. 28 against San Jose State (TBA, FS1 or FS2), pending approval from the CDH director.
CDH will send an independent agent to Albertsons Stadium on Friday to ensure all safety measures are upheld.
Boise State will likely have to request CDH approval again to allow fans to attend the Mountain West championship game if it’s hosted in Albertsons Stadium on Dec. 19.
A negative PCR test for COVID-19 is required for all spectators before entry, and masks and adherence to social distancing guidelines is also required.
Family members will be seated together, Estey said, and students may register for tickets as pairs but will be prohibited from mingling with other groups. Entry and exit points will also be limited to lessen the chance of exposure in large groups, according to Carney.
Students were required to register online for tickets by 5 p.m. Wednesday, and they will be selected in a random drawing. They will also be required to test negative for the virus prior to entry.
Boise State announced Tuesday that it would request an exemption from CDH’s order governing large gatherings.
Ada County, which falls under CDH jurisdiction, is still in a modified Stage 3 of the Idaho Rebounds plan, which prohibits gatherings of 50 or more people.
The state, as a whole, recently reverted back to Stage 3 as the number of cases of COVID-19 continues to climb. On Wednesday, Ada County added 166 new confirmed cases and 110 new probable cases. During the same meeting where Boise State’s request was approved, board members discussed the potential for more measures to prevent spread of the virus in Ada and Elmore counties.
The Broncos did not allow fans to attend their season opener two weeks ago against Utah State, and Saturday’s game at Air Force was played in front of fewer cadets than normal after the academy made attendance optional after moving to a higher phase of its COVID-19 protocols.
NO. 9 BYU AT NO. 21 BOISE STATE
When: 7:55 p.m. Friday
Where: Albertsons Stadium
TV: Fox Sports 1 (Aaron Goldsmith, Petros Papadakis). That’s channel 146 on Sparklight, 219 on DirecTV and 150 on Dish Network.
Radio: KBOI 670 AM/KTIK 93.1 FM (Bob Behler, Pete Cavender)
Records: Boise State 2-0; BYU 7-0
Series: Boise State leads 7-3 (last meeting: Boise State lost 28-25 last season in Provo, Utah)
Vegas line: BYU by 3
Weather: Low of 31 degrees, 50% chance of rain, 7 mph winds
This story was originally published November 4, 2020 at 8:34 PM.
