USC announces modifications for football season-seat holders for 2020

USC is expecting some fans at the Coliseum this fall. How many ticket holders will actually be allowed in could be a contentious question for those expecting to spend six Saturdays in their usual seats at the stadium.

In an email sent to ticket holders and Trojan Athletic Fund members Wednesday, USC laid out instructions for fans to decide whether to opt-in or out of their season tickets for football in 2020, but added that it could not guarantee all or even any of their requested tickets, due to a “dramatically reduced” capacity at the Coliseum.

Any fans who choose to opt out of their tickets during the COVID-19 pandemic will not lose their priority seating or face any other consequences from USC.

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Those who opt in may not see USC’s entire home slate in 2020. A full season, per the email, will include four or more home games. USC is currently scheduled to play six games at the Coliseum this fall.

“We understand that many of you may not feel comfortable attending games in the current climate and/or based on the potential modifications to the game day experience, so we want to be clear that the decision is up to you,” the email read.

That plan is still subject to change, with nearly three months remaining until USC’s home opener on Sept. 12 against New Mexico. But if fans are allowed into a sparsely filled, socially distanced Coliseum, their experience is likely to be drastically different than any season in memory.

USC offered some insight Wednesday into what that altered game day may look like. Tailgates outside the stadium, along with other pregame traditions like the Trojan Walk and band walk, will be significantly limited or removed.

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Those who choose to attend may not be seated where they’re expecting. They may not have as many seats as expected, either. After receiving their tickets, fans will still be allowed to opt out.

Masks will be required for the entire duration of the game. But the rest of the game-day experience, from concessions to restrooms to elevators to just about everything else, remains a significant logistical concern. In the email, USC noted only that all Coliseum amenities “will adapt to follow social distancing guidelines and capacity will be limited.”