SAN MARCOS, Texas - Texas State Athletics has announced several new COVID-19 health and safety measures for Bobcat fans to follow when attending home football games this fall.
Texas State Director of Athletics Larry Teis says they are working in conjunction with the NCAA, the Sun Belt Conference, Texas State University, and federal, state and local agencies to keep facilities safe and within state guidelines.
"It is more important now than ever that all of us follow these guidelines and recommendations so that we all can stay safe and continue playing this season," Teis said. "We look forward to seeing Bobcat fans cheering on our teams this fall."
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The following procedures will be in place for all Bobcat fans attending games at Bobcat Stadium:
SYMPTOM SCREENING
All attendees are asked to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms before going to Bobcat Stadium in accordance with CDC best practices and recommendations. Fans are asked to stay home if sick or at high risk for complications from COVID-19. Symptoms to watch for include:
- Fever (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) or higher
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Chills
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
ARRIVAL AND GATE ENTRY
The university will be implementing several measures to make arrival and entry to Bobcat Stadium as safe as possible, including face masks, social distancing, and assigned seating.
All fans attending home games will be required to wear face coverings that completely cover the nose and mouth when they enter the stadium and when they are not in their seats. Fans are strongly encouraged to wear their masks while in their seats too. Texas State says face coverings should not be worn by children under 2 or anyone who has trouble breathing, is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove their mask without assistance, as per CDC guidelines.
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Social distancing markers will be placed at each entry point to Bobcat Stadium. Fans will be required to enter the stadium at the assigned segment, each with its own restrooms, concessions and entry gates, described on their digital ticket. Gates will open 90 minutes before kickoff:
- East Segment Entry – Gates 6 & 8
- West Segment Entry – Gates 1 & 2
- North Segment Entry – Gates 4 & 5
Contactless digital tickets will be available to all spectators through Texas State's digital ticketing platforms. General admission seating is eliminated for the 2020 season to help with social distancing efforts and contact tracing. All seating options will be reserved with a specific seat location to ensure distancing between individuals and groups.
Texas State students can also claim their digital game ticket in advance online through the TXST Student Game Ticket Request form. The forms will be available beginning at 10 a.m. on Monday of each game week and must be submitted by 2 p.m. the day before the requested game.
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Students can only request one ticket for themselves and will be assigned a seat in either sections 115-123, or sections 211-223 in the order forms are received until capacity is reached or the deadline passes. Requests for each home game must be submitted separately. Digital tickets will then be delivered via email.
Texas State has reduced capacity at the season opener against SMU on September 5 to just 25 percent of stadium capacity or 7,500 spectators. The university says that is subject to change and any changes will be communicated.
GAMEDAY PARKING
All Bobcat Club donors will be given a printed booklet of parking passes for assigned lots for the 2020 season. The following are parking benefits that each level of the Bobcat Club receives:
- Champions ($25,000+) and Platinum ($6,000-$24,999): one season pass to Lot 2 and a reserved parking sign
- Diamond ($3,000-$5,999) and Gold ($1,250-$2,999): one season pass to Lot 2
- Silver ($600-$1,249) donors: one season pass to Lot 3 on the west side of Bobcat Stadium
- Bronze ($300-$599) donors: one season pass to Lot 4 in the Strahan Lot
Bobcat Club donors may exchange their season donor passes for RV parking, or parking passes to the Bobcat Club reserved parking area. Reserved donor lots will be open three hours before kickoff.
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General game day parking is available in the Bobcat Stadium East Lot (previously Tailgate Central) for students only at $10 per spot. Students must show their Texas State ID upon arrival in the lot and only one spot is available for purchase per vehicle. Spaces can be purchased online in advance or on game day:
- Online: you must bring your receipt for admittance
- In-Person: by credit only, no cash will be accepted
Free parking will be available this season at the Mill Street Parking Lot, UEC Parking Lot, and Clear Springs Parking Lot. Lot 5 will not be available for game-day parking this season. All general game day parking will open two hours before kickoff
NO TAILGATING
Texas State says no tailgating will be allowed at Bobcat Stadium for the 2020 season, including organized tailgating at Tailgate Central. Fans attending games will only be permitted to purchase parking spaces for one vehicle and occupy one parking space.
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CONCESSIONS
Texas State will be implementing several precautions for those getting concessions at football games, including:
- physical distancing signage and floor decals to direct guests on where to stand to maintain social distancing
- stanchions to direct line queuing where applicable
- increased frequency of cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting at high touchpoints
- sneeze guards at registers along with hand sanitizer
- no cash sales; only credit/debit cards or meal plans will be accepted
- vendors and suppliers to wear masks in and around facilities
- individual condiment packets and pre-packaged plasticware
In addition to these, the university will only be selling bottled beverages and high-demand, fan-favorite food items at games. Guests will be able to pre-order their items using the Grubhub app and pick up their orders at designated pick-up areas. For those who do not have the app, mobile ordering will be available at select concession stands.
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All restrooms within Bobcat Stadium are limited in capacity to promote social distancing and increase sanitizing frequency. Each restroom will be monitored, allowing only an assigned occupancy, and when applicable, restrooms will have designated entries and exits. Sanitizing technicians will be assigned to each restroom to maintain cleanliness.
Texas State says it will follow CDC guidelines and deploy an amplified cleaning team focused on making sure the facility is clean and safe for everyone. Hand sanitizer stations will be available throughout the stadium for patrons to use.
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