[Farm93]

Thanks to Stanford's relatively weak attendance for most football games it should be easier for Stanford than other schools across the country.

Big House capacity at UMich is 107,601.  I could see their crowds at 26,900 or so.

Curious example to pick.   Michigan for decades had an attendance streak of 100,000+ at every game.   Which ~27,000 get in when you likely have 60,000 ticket holders or more that have not missed a game in years?

Also do you ban tailgates?   If not, that's a problem as at many Michigan games there are several thousand fans outside the stadium each Saturday that party with friends, but lack tickets.   So that party without tickets is not uncommon.   If attendance is 27,000 but 50,000 tailgate outside the venue then the core COVID transmission problem was not really addressed.

I don't think Michigan is that unique in the BigTen.   In most BigTen schools a football Saturday brings together a meaningful percentage of the citizens of the state to buy stuff, attend alumni parties, donate money, support local eateries.  

If it needs to happen, it will probably just have to be.   But I would argue Ann Arbor will struggle with the loss of the ~70,000 fans a lot more than Palo Alto and the surrounding Bay Area would the hoopla associated with a Stanford football Saturday.   The struggles would be so great for communities that NEED 100,000 at the games that I bet a number of local officials and governors will decide to allow fans to attend even if health evidence suggests that would be a very risky move.

[Farm93]

Thanks to Stanford's relatively weak attendance for most football games it should be easier for Stanford than other schools across the country.

Big House capacity at UMich is 107,601.  I could see their crowds at 26,900 or so.

Curious example to pick.   Michigan for decades had an attendance streak of 100,000+ at every game.   Which ~27,000 get in when you likely have 60,000 ticket holders or more that have not missed a game in years?

Also do you ban tailgates?   If not, that's a problem as at many Michigan games there are several thousand fans outside the stadium each Saturday that party with friends, but lack tickets.   So that party without tickets is not uncommon.   If attendance is 27,000 but 50,000 tailgate outside the venue then the core COVID transmission problem was not really addressed.

I don't think Michigan is that unique in the BigTen.   In most BigTen schools a football Saturday brings together a meaningful percentage of the citizens of the state to buy stuff, attend alumni parties, donate money, support local eateries.  

If it needs to happen, it will probably just have to be.   But I would argue Ann Arbor will struggle with the loss of the ~70,000 fans a lot more than Palo Alto and the surrounding Bay Area would the hoopla associated with a Stanford football Saturday.   The struggles would be so great for communities that NEED 100,000 at the games that I bet a number of local officials and governors will decide to allow fans to attend even if health evidence suggests that would be a very risky move.