AUBURN, Ala. — In collaboration with Auburn University, the Southeastern Conference and state and local public health guidance, Auburn Athletics will implement several safety measures for the 2020 football season.
These policies and procedures are designed to create a safe and healthy environment while maintaining Auburn’s renowned gameday experience.
One of biggest changes this season is that there will be no live mascots at any of the games this season. Because of that ruling, the following mascots will not be seen in 2020.
LSU - Mike the Tiger
Georgia - UGA the Bulldog
Auburn - Spirit the War Eagle
MSU - Bully the Bulldog
Texas A&M - Reveille the Dog
Arkansas - Tusk the Boar
Tennessee - Smokey the Hound
“Everyone who enters Jordan-Hare Stadium this fall will participate in a shared responsibility for the health and safety of our campus community,” director of athletics Allen Greene said. “We’re counting on all attendees to do their part by practicing physical distancing, personal hygiene and wearing face coverings. Adherence to these guidelines will lead to the safest possible gameday for everyone.”
Fans are asked to review the following guidelines regarding gameday at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
STADIUM CAPACITY
- As announced on Aug. 19, under the direction of state health officials, Jordan-Hare Stadium capacity will be reduced to 20% to begin the 2020 football season.
- In an effort to contribute to the on-campus experience of our current students, all general seating tickets outside of controlled premium spaces and those designated for home and visiting team player and coach guests will be reserved for Auburn students for the home opener on Sept. 26 versus Kentucky.
- Ticket allocations for future games will be announced at a later date. As the season progresses, the seating plan and configuration may change as additional information related to COVID-19 becomes available.
- Additional information on refund, donation and credit options for Tigers Unlimited season ticket holders can be found at BelieveinAuburn.com.
PARKING & TAILGATING
- Please click here for the most up-to-date parking map. Fans are asked to park in lots on campus that correspond with their seating locations, as identified on the parking map.
- Only designated permit parking lots (light blue) will require a pass for admittance. All other lots will be first-come, first-served and do not require a parking pass.
- Please park in designated parking lots only. Parking on grass surfaces is prohibited, and violators will be subject to tow.
- Donor parking passes for the 2020 season will be delivered electronically from Tigers Unlimited. Donors will receive an email that includes a link to download their parking pass to their digital wallet. On game day, customers will present their smartphone to be scanned upon entry to the parking lot.
- Handicap accessible parking for non-Tigers Unlimited donors will be located in the East Coliseum parking lot. Fans should enter the lot via Biggio Drive. Golf cart shuttles will be available from the East Coliseum handicap lot.
- In accordance with the CDC and state and local guidelines, tailgating will not be permitted on campus for the 2020 football season, including Tailgate Guys turn-key tailgating packages.
- RVs will not be allowed on campus for the 2020 season. RVs found on campus are subject to a ticket or tow.
- Tiger Transit shuttles will not be operational for the 2020 season.
- Please visit the Tailgate Guys website for additional information on #TailgateAnywhere packages that can be delivered to your home or business for any occasion.
- “Track ‘Em Tiger Tailgates” - the Auburn Family is encouraged to register their at-home tailgates for the season opener vs. Kentucky for access to tailgate recipes, a chance to win prizes at home and the opportunity to be featured on the video board inside of Jordan-Hare Stadium.
ARRIVAL AND GATE ENTRY
- Please click here for the most up-to-date stadium map. Ticket holders will be provided with a recommended entry time and gate to facilitate stadium entry, as identified on the stadium map.
- Student locations are general admission and first-come, first-served, but students are asked to sit in the designated sections listed on their game ticket. Students will receive an email communication during the week of the game that identifies their assigned zone.
- For the Kentucky game, students should only sit in the orange chairbacks; blue chairbacks are for home team and visiting player guests.
- Physical distance signage and markings will be placed at all entry gates.
- Walk-through metal detectors will be operational for the 2020 season.
- Students will be required to show a green screen from the GuideSafe app before entering the metal detectors.
- Public (non-student) ticket holders and working staff will have their temperature read prior to entering the stadium.
- The clear bag policy will remain in effect for the 2020 football season and ticket holders are encouraged to bring as few items as needed into the stadium. Bags must be clear plastic and not exceed 12”x 6” x 12.” One-gallon clear resealable plastic storage bags and small clutch purses not exceeding 4.5” x 6.5” may be permitted into the stadium.
- Individual hand sanitizer bottles not exceeding 3.4 ounces and disinfecting wipes will be permitted into the stadium.
- Non-prohibited item check stations on the exterior of JHS have been eliminated for the 2020 season. All prohibited items will have to be disposed of or returned to vehicles before entry into Jordan-Hare Stadium.
CLEANING & SANITIZING MEASURES
- Enhanced cleaning and sanitization procedures throughout the stadium prior to and during all games will be in effect for the 2020 season.
- All cleaning and disinfection products have been certified by the Environmental Protection Agency or the Centers for Disease Control for disinfection of COVID-19.
- Fan and operational areas will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized prior to game day.
- 180 hand sanitizer stations will be strategically placed in restrooms, elevators and throughout Jordan-Hare Stadium.
- All athletics department workspaces will be supplied with hand sanitizer, disinfectant spray and wipes to clean game day workspaces frequently.
- The “AU Clean Team” will regularly disinfect all high-touch surfaces in all common areas, including entry gates, restrooms, point-of-sale locations, concessions counters, elevators and handrails, among other high-touch surfaces. AU Clean Team staff will be assigned to each public restroom in the stadium.
PHYSICAL DISTANCING & FACE COVERINGS
- Fans must wear face coverings (over the nose and mouth) while in the stadium.
- Stadium workers and athletics staff will wear face coverings at all times.
- Directional signage, stanchions, and barriers will be installed to facilitate six-foot physical distance at entry gates, concourse pathways, concessions and merchandise queues and seating areas.
- Event staff will assist in directing ticket holders through appropriate routes to seating areas, concession stands and restrooms.
- Seating arrangements will provide for physical distance. Ticketed seats will be pre-marked with an Auburn Athletics provided chairback.
- Empty bleacher seats between pre-marked seats will not be available for seating.
- Blocked rows will be marked with tape and not available for seating but will be used as a means of ingress/egress in and out of the section.
- Physical distancing will be maintained throughout the facility to the fullest extent possible, including limiting field access in accordance with SEC and NCAA recommendations.
TOUCHLESS EXPERIENCE
- Jordan-Hare Stadium will provide for contactless transactions, including touchless walk-through metal detectors, digital ticketing, digital scanning of tickets at entry gates and self-swiping of credit cards at concessions and merchandise outlets.
- All transactions for concessions and merchandise locations at JHS will be contactless and cashless (credit cards only).
- The Auburn University Athletics Ticket Office announced mobile-only ticketing, enabling contactless entry into all venues beginning with the 2020 football season. The shift to mobile-only ticketing provides a safer environment for fans, and guards against the production of fraudulent tickets.
- Auburn Athletic Ticket Office personnel will be located at the Auburn Arena Ticket Office and the West, Northeast, and Southeast ticket windows at Jordan-Hare Stadium to assist ticket holders. For additional information on digital tickets, click here.
- Ticket purchasers will receive their tickets via email, allowing for download to Apple Wallet (iPhone) or Google Pay Wallet (Android). Prior to reaching the gates, fans will simply open their digital wallet.
- Be sure to download the official Auburn gameday app. Available in the app store and Google play, the Auburn gameday app features access to the War Eagle Lights light show, free live audio, real-time social streams, interactive stadium maps, scoreboards, stats, gameday programs, mobile concessions ordering and much more.
CONCESSIONS & AU TEAM SHOP
- Operating under SEC, state and local health guidelines, a limited selection of food items will be available for sale in addition to bottled water and Coca-Cola products. All condiments will be pre-packaged.
- Floor markings will allow spectators to form a physically distanced queue for concession and merchandise stands, with registers fitted with a plexiglass screen.
- Concessions and merchandise staff will wear facial covering at all times.
- Additional grab-n-go options will be available at concessions stands throughout JHS.
- Hand sanitizer will be available for staff and spectators at concessions and merchandise stands.
- All transactions for concessions and merchandise locations at JHS will be contactless and cashless (credit/debit and Tiger Cards only).
- In accordance with state and local health guidelines, the hydration nation filtered water stations will not be available. Fans will once again be able to bring into Jordan-Hare Stadium one factory sealed water bottle per person. 20-ounce Dasani water will also continue to be offered for $2 at all stadium concession stands.
- The home opener against Kentucky has been designated as a wear white game. Get your officially licensed Auburn gear at the AU Team Shop.
FAN EXPERIENCES & AUBURN TRADITIONS
- Per SEC policy, bands, cheerleaders/spirit squads and mascots (both live and costumed) are restricted from performing and being on the field before games and at halftime.
- To comply with the SEC policy of no live animals on the field, the eagle flight will not occur in Jordan-Hare Stadium on gamedays during the 2020 season.
- The Southeastern Raptor Center’s Football, Fans and Feathers will be held on Fridays at 4:00 p.m. and Saturdays at 9:00 a.m. before Auburn home games; limited to the first 50 guests.
- Per SEC policy, bands will be restricted from performing on the field before games and at halftime. The policy may be revised during the year based on developments around COVID-19. The Auburn Band will perform from the stands to begin the 2020 season.
- Auburn Spirit Squad (Cheerleaders and Tiger Paws) will be located on the front rows of sections 25 and 26.
- In accordance with state and local health guidelines, the following fan experience activities will be placed on hold for the 2020 season:
- Game Day Auction Experiences
- Friday Football Luncheon
- Friday Football Locker Room Tours
- Tiger Transit Game Day Shuttles
- Band Gameday Practice
- Coca-Cola Fanfest
- Home Plate Tailgate
- Four-Corners Rally and Spirit March
- Tiger Walk
- Band March Around
- Wellness Kitchen Brunch
Auburn Athletics officials remind fans plans for 2020 are subject to change before and during the season along with changes to public-health guidelines related to the spread of COVID-19. Please continue to check AuburnTigers.com/gameday for the latest updates.
