INDIANAPOLIS — Two Indianapolis teams are have announced they'll be allowing fans at full capacity.
Indianapolis Colts fans will be able to fill Lucas Oil Stadium this year. Team officials said Tuesday the Colts have been approved to host full capacity home games, which comes to about 63,000 people.
Similarly, the Indianapolis Indians on Tuesday announced Victory Field will be operating at full capacity, which is 13,750 fans, beginning July 1 and all restrictions at the field will be lifted for the final 40 home games.
This announcement is a huge milestone for both teams after a mostly silent 2020 season due to the pandemic.
On June 30, 2020, the Indians officially canceled their season because of the pandemic, meaning exactly 365 days will have passed between the 2020 season cancellation and The Vic reaching full capacity.
The team’s first homestand in May was capped at 25 percent capacity, and each of its last two homestands topped out at 50 percent capacity.
“It has been a long, winding and challenging road to achieve a sense of normalcy at Victory Field,” said Randy Lewandowski, Indians president and GM. “To look back at where our organization and community were a year ago during the pandemic to where we are now, it’s an incredible feeling to see central Indiana and Victory Field... back on its feet.”
While the Colts didn't have to cancel its season, few fans were allowed at Lucas Oil Stadium during the pandemic. Still, the Colts were one of the few teams to be able to host fans at every home game during the 2020 season.
But things are looking up. As vaccine rollout continues across the country, the stadium is ready to operate at full capacity.
“We were fortunate to be able to host fans in 2020 through the pandemic, and those fans were as loud and proud as ever,” said Colts owner & CEO Jim Irsay. “But gamedays at Lucas Oil Stadium are like family reunions, and it wasn’t quite the same without our entire Colts family alongside us."
The team's decision followed extensive consultation with the Marion County Public Health Department, which this week approved full capacity games at the start of the season.
“We can’t wait to reopen the stadium doors to all our fans so they can take this journey with us as we work to bring a Super Bowl title back to Indianapolis," Irsay said.
While the news is exciting news for many Colts fans, team officials said they recognize we aren't quite out of the woods yet with the pandemic. The team said the entire Colts organization and stadium officials will make an effort to keep fans safe and healthy. However, most in-stadium protocols from last season will be relaxed or eliminated.
Plus, Colts fans who are eager to see their team in action will have an opportunity to receive a vaccine during the team's training camp from Wednesday, July 28 through Thursday, Aug. 19.
As an added bonus, people who get vaccinated at the Colts Training Camp before Aug. 15 will receive two preseason tickets to the Colts-Panthers game on Sunday, Aug. 15. They will also be entered to win a Colts Prize Pack, which includes game tickets, an autographed item and a jersey.