[Albion] Football crowds could return in September, says FA chief executive

[Bozza]

I think most of the problems are solvable once in the seated areas and they have the benefit of being in the open. Might even mean closing of food and drink on the concourse to prevent crowding. What I can’t resolve is the travel to and from the stadium by public transport. Even with reduced numbers attending the pressure on public transport and adhering to safe distancing would be a logistical nightmare. Can extra trains/busses be put on? I would imagine they are close to the capacity at the moment. Then what happens when they get to their destination eg Brighton station? There will need to be extra trains that end otherwise there will be a build up.
I can see this working at other grounds but not ours as we rely heavily on Public transport which takes people in and out the same way and does not disperse people in multiple directions.

No concourse catering would significantly assist with the concourse crowding problem but transport, for us, is the big one.

However if playing to a reduced capacity, then it may be possible to accommodate a significant number of those fans using the near-site car parking options available, ie Bennett's Field, The Bridge and the university.

DIdn't we play a Boxing Day game with limited/no trains operating? Many people will make other plans if they have to, or feel they need to, whether that means a long walk for those who can, or getting a lift from another household member.

 

[ManOfSussex]

Public transport is active now. I imagine some of it e.g. tubes is v busy. The only measure required by Gov is mask wearing. 3 months from now if figures are lower it will be the same as that or mask requirement will have gone.

2m is likely to be scrapped in days / weeks. Unlikely to be in place in Sept.

Other countries will allow spectators back in before us - so we can just see how that pans out and learn from their experience, adopt their measures etc.

Even with a 1 metre social distancing rule, I can't see any of it working. This season, during the autumn and winter, I got soaked at a fair few games going back and forth from Falmer station and picked up a cold each time. The powers that be have also got to factor in from September we are entering the normal winter cold and flu season anyway and if Covid-19 is still around and further outbreaks/a second peak are to avoided then events like a game at The Amex don't help. 3,000 away supporters too, many of whom use the trains even if they're from up north, have to be factored in as well. We'll have to see where we are in 3 months time like you say, but the measures from 3 months ago in the Arsenal programme are rather quaint in hindsight to put it mildly.

 

[Marty___Mcfly]

A 1m rule would be pretty pointless IMHO. At some point the rules will go and we will have some guidelines plus common sense. In that context spectator sports will work fine.

Pretty sure other countries will be at that point soon if they’re not already.

 

[ManOfSussex]

DIdn't we play a Boxing Day game with limited/no trains operating? Many people will make other plans if they have to, or feel they need to, whether that means a long walk for those who can, or getting a lift from another household member.

There were no trains for Arsenal in 2018. We parked at the Sussex University multi storey carpark for £15. The replacement shuttle buses to and from Lewes station were rammed instead of the trains though, as were the park and ride ones. 90 minute wait straight after the game for one to Lewes I recall. If the trains aren't running, then packed buses are needed instead. I assume both universities would still open their parking facilities up, but the lack of students has also got to impact the match day staffing levels.

 

[Bozza]

There were no trains for Arsenal in 2018. We parked at the Sussex University multi storey carpark for £15. The replacement shuttle buses to and from Lewes station were rammed instead of the trains though, as were the park and ride ones. 90 minute wait straight after the game for one to Lewes I recall. If the trains aren't running, then packed buses are needed instead. I assume both universities would still open their parking facilities up, but the lack of students has also got to impact the match day staffing levels.

If there is no concourse catering in order to encourage people to remain in their seats, there will be a far reduced need for a student workforce.

 

[dazzer6666]

Public transport is active now. I imagine some of it e.g. tubes is v busy. The only measure required by Gov is mask wearing. 3 months from now if figures are lower it will be the same as that or mask requirement will have gone.

2m is likely to be scrapped in days / weeks. Unlikely to be in place in Sept.

Other countries will allow spectators back in before us - so we can just see how that pans out and learn from their experience, adopt their measures etc.

Exactly.......most of the assumptions and problems with opening up on here are assuming current rules re social distancing. I wouldn't be surprised if SD has been scrapped completely by September - it's at that point attendance becomes viable.

 

[darkwolf666]

Number 7 is impossible given that people arrive at different times. Number 8 is also impossible as sometimes people need the toilet and will go whatever the 'rules' are. Number 9 is also impossible as many people will end up wetting themselves.

People also arrive late due to work, traffic or hosts of other reasons, similarly, people leave early for a multitude of reasons. It is not just the East stand leaving early, I see hundreds of people in each stand choosing to go from about ten minutes from the end of most matches.

I don't think those are bad ideas, but they are totally impractical and also unenforceable.

Would love to see your verdict on a bad idea then!

 

[ManOfSussex]

If there is no concourse catering in order to encourage people to remain in their seats, there will be a far reduced need for a student workforce.

One solution re catering, the lack of student workforce and avoiding packed concourses would be just to stop serving alcohol.

 

[drew]

So with a reduced capacity of say 10k, next argument is going to be how do the club chose who can and who can't go?

Here's hoping that they could make use of the loyalty point scheme!!!

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Even with a 1 metre social distancing rule, I can't see any of it working. This season, during the autumn and winter, I got soaked at a fair few games going back and forth from Falmer station and picked up a cold each time..

You didn't pick a cold up from getting soaked,

Cold weather correlates with colds but rain cannot cause you to catch a cold. To limit your chance of catching a cold, wash your hands or sanitize them after touching things that others with a virus may have touched

 

[drew]

You didn't pick a cold up from getting soaked,

Cold weather correlates with colds but rain cannot cause you to catch a cold. To limit your chance of catching a cold, wash your hands or sanitize them after touching things that others with a virus may have touched

True but when you are wet and cold, aren't your natural defences compromised leaving you more susceptible to infections?

 

[Wardy's twin]

So you think with a 23k gate there won't be a queue at Falmer station? The reality is travelling to the fro to Amex won't be safe. let alone when you're in the ground

and how many people would be allowed on the train at the same time ... I think its safe to say that walking to the ground will be expected in the short term.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

True but when you are wet and cold, aren't your natural defences compromised leaving you more susceptible to infections?

A myth told to us by our mothers. You are more likely to catch a cold or flu in the winter due to people tending to be in closer proximity and lower humidity meaning the virus stays in the air longer.

 

[dazzer6666]

You didn't pick a cold up from getting soaked,

Cold weather correlates with colds but rain cannot cause you to catch a cold. To limit your chance of catching a cold, wash your hands or sanitize them after touching things that others with a virus may have touched

I reckon there will far fewer people catching colds this coming winter - much more frequent hand-washing and sanitisation will still be happening....................

 

[ManOfSussex]

You didn't pick a cold up from getting soaked,

Cold weather correlates with colds but rain cannot cause you to catch a cold. To limit your chance of catching a cold, wash your hands or sanitize them after touching things that others with a virus may have touched

Getting soaked means getting cold though. Getting cold lowers the immune system as does the alcohol I consume at a game. Throw in a nice hot, packed, stuffy train plus concourse and it's not the healthiest environment a game at The Amex when it's raining for me. (my mother was a nurse before you mention it being a myth)

 

[drew]

A myth told to us by our mothers. You are more likely to catch a cold or flu in the winter due to people tending to be in closer proximity and lower humidity meaning the virus stays in the air longer.

An extract from this bbc page:

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/... theory is that when,lowered for a short time.


One theory is that when your body gets chilled the blood vessels in the nose and throat constrict. These same vessels deliver infection-fighting white blood cells, so if fewer white blood cells reach the nose and throat your defences against a cold virus are lowered for a short time

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

An extract from this bbc page:

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/... theory is that when,lowered for a short time.


One theory is that when your body gets chilled the blood vessels in the nose and throat constrict. These same vessels deliver infection-fighting white blood cells, so if fewer white blood cells reach the nose and throat your defences against a cold virus are lowered for a short time

Health Library

True or False: Being Exposed to Wet, Cold Weather Increases the Risk of Infection
mythbuster graphic “Don’t go out with that wet hair!” Most of us heard this advice growing up, from a parent or someone who insisted that exposure to cold weather or a sudden chill could cause us to catch a cold, or worse!

In truth, it is bacteria and viruses, not the weather, that cause infections such as the common cold , influenza (the flu) , or pneumonia . Why then, do so many people seem to get sick in the cold, wet months of fall and winter? While it may not be the weather itself, the cold seasons that keep many of us inside are associated with an increased risk of developing an infection.

Evidence for the Health Claim
There is no doubt that respiratory infections such as colds and the flu occur more often during the fall and winter months. The US government’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases proposes that the reason for this may have to do with the opening of schools and the tendency for people to stay inside around others during colder seasons. Both of these factors increase the opportunity for viruses and, less often, bacteria to spread among people.

Additionally, some studies have shown that stressful conditions, including exposure to cold weather, make animals more susceptible to being infected with a variety of bacteria and viruses. These studies, which have so far been conducted primarily on mice, suggest that exposure to severe chilling may suppress the immune response, making it harder for the animals to fight infections.

Finally, the relatively low humidity in colder months may increase the risk of getting certain infections. For instance, the most common cold-causing viruses survive better in low-humidity environments, as is the case in the fall and winter. It has also been proposed that cold weather may dry out the inside lining of your nose, making it more susceptible to penetration by a virus.

Evidence Against the Health Claim
It is clear that viruses and bacteria, not cold or wet weather, cause infections. Viruses and bacteria are often transmitted from person-to-person by inhaling them in the form of air droplets (from a sneeze or cough) or touching contaminated skin or surfaces and then touching the eyes or nose.

There is no evidence that humans can get a cold or other infection from exposure to cold weather, or from getting chilled or overheated. When scientists placed cold viruses directly into the noses of study participants before either exposing them to cold temperatures or not, they failed to find any connection between cold exposure and susceptibility to infection with common cold viruses. And a review in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise concluded that there is no scientific support for the concept that exposure to moderately cold temperatures depresses immune function in humans. (Of course, prolong exposure to extremely cold temperature can lead to a condition called hypothermia , which may result in numerous health effects.)

Conclusion
Being exposed to cold, wet weather, in and of itself, will not cause you to contract infections. But your chance of developing a cold or the flu does increase in the winter months (beginning in September and lasting until March or April in the US). So, that fashionable wool scarf your mom made you wear to school? No reason for it (except perhaps to annoy you).

The best way to avoid an infection is to limit your exposure to the viruses and bacteria that cause them, irrespective of the weather. This means staying away from infected people, keeping your hands away from your eyes and nose, washing your hands often (especially during the cold season), and cleaning surfaces that may be infected with bacteria or viruses with a disinfectant.

References
Can Cold Weather Make You Sick? VeryWell Health website. Available at: https://www.verywellhealth.com/does-cold-weather-cause-the-cold-or-flu-770379. Updated May 14, 2020. Accessed May 21, 2020.

Common Colds: Protect Yourself and Others. Center for Disease Control (CDC) website. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/features/rhinoviruses/. Updated February 11, 2019. Accessed May 21, 2020.

What's the link between cold weather and the common cold? Medical News Today website. Available at: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323431. Created October 23, 2018. Accessed May 21, 2020.

 

[Pierre the Painter]

Crowds returning in Poland from this weekend, max 25% capacity, every fourth seat occupied (other than those who live in the same household), masks mandatory walking to from seat, fines and penalties for anyone not obeying the strict protocols, clapping rather than cheering for goals encouraged.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Crowds returning in Poland from this weekend, max 25% capacity, every fourth seat occupied (other than those who live in the same household), masks mandatory walking to from seat, fines and penalties for anyone not obeying the strict protocols, clapping rather than cheering for goals encouraged.

Potentially 7500 golden tickets at the Amex then......

 

[Mo Gosfield]

Number 7 is impossible given that people arrive at different times. Number 8 is also impossible as sometimes people need the toilet and will go whatever the 'rules' are. Number 9 is also impossible as many people will end up wetting themselves.

People also arrive late due to work, traffic or hosts of other reasons, similarly, people leave early for a multitude of reasons. It is not just the East stand leaving early, I see hundreds of people in each stand choosing to go from about ten minutes from the end of most matches.

I don't think those are bad ideas, but they are totally impractical and also unenforceable.

I was pondering a reduced crowd scenario, which by implication, means that some limitations are still in place. I know people arrive at different times. I was suggesting that you might not be able to push past people to get to your seat, if, for example, a 1m ruling is still in place. How this would be controlled, I have no idea. Likewise, getting up during the game also poses issues. Those not at the end of rows, will have to pass people very closely. Those people might not be comfortable with that and make it clear that they don't want it to happen. Likewise at HT/FT, you may not be able to leave when you want.
You suggest that these measures are totally impractical and unenforceable but if there are any limitations still in place, the club will have to introduce a control in accessing seats. If there are no limitations in place, then we will all be there enjoying the football.