NC eases COVID restrictions for more fans at sporting events. What it means for Charlotte
Sports fans in Charlotte and across North Carolina will soon be allowed to watch more games in person.
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced Wednesday an increase in permissible attendance at sporting events across the state due to the recent decline in new COVID-19 cases.
Cooper is signing an executive order that, beginning Friday, will allow all indoor facilities that hold 5,000 or more people to have 15% of capacity, as long as other health and safety guidelines are followed. Many outdoor sports venues will now be allowed to hold 30% of capacity with no 100-person limit.
Specific capacity limits will depend on the size of the venue and will be in place through March 26. While the Charlotte Hornets and Charlotte Knights have not yet said how many fans they’ll admit under the new order, state law would now allow the Hornets to have 3,030 in attendance and 3,060 in the stands at Knights games.
The restrictions had been in place to limit the spread of COVID-19, while allowing for all levels of sporting events to safely take place around the state. Cooper announced the revised limitations a day after Dr. Mandy Cohen, the state’s Department of Health and Human Services secretary, told a legislative committee the virus’ spread had slowed enough to begin allowing more movement and gathering.
“Our trends are moving in the right direction, and we know we want to reassess where we are in terms of easing restrictions,” Cohen told the N.C. House Health Committee on Tuesday.
The previous order limited attendance at indoor events to 25 people and 100 people at outdoor events, but was scheduled to expire at the end of February. It also reduced capacity at all outdoor sporting venues that seat 10,000 or more to 7%, although the Carolina Panthers were given an exception to have slightly more in attendance for select games by the governor’s office.
The Hornets had decided up to this point not to have any fans in the stands for home games. The team will not play again at Spectrum Center until after the All-Star break through March 7.
Due to state guidelines, the UNC system is not allowing fans at basketball games and is limiting attendance to two family members per athlete. The ACC previously announced that, due to state guidelines, tickets won’t be sold to the general public when the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments are held in Greensboro in March. Attendance at the tournament will be limited to family and personal guests of team personnel.
With minor league baseball teams across the state preparing to return to play for the 2021 season, the increased attendance limits will allow for more flexibility at venues.
The Kannapolis Cannon Ballers have a capacity of 4,930 at Atrium Health Ballpark with 1,479 now able to be in attendance.
This story is breaking and will be updated
