Queensland Stadiums Will Be Able to Host Up to 2000 Fans from This Weekend
It's great news if you're a Brisbane Lions or Brisbane Broncos fan.
Nothing about 2020 has been normal, and that includes heading to a sporting event. In fact, with COVID-19 lockdowns and mass-gathering bans put in place in mid-March, fans haven't been able to attend either AFL or NRL games in-person in Brisbane all season — but that's changing this weekend.
Today, Wednesday, June 17, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced that the state's stadiums will once again welcome in public spectators, with up to 2000 allowed at each venue. The news comes after the respective football codes developed COVID-Safe plans allowing fans to watch matches at the grounds while still maintaining social-distancing requirements.
If you follow AFL, it's particularly great timing, with the Brisbane Lions playing their next three games at home at The Gabba. A heap of matches are also happening at Metricon Stadium at Carrara across those three weekends as part of a hub arrangement — with not only the Gold Coast Suns based out of the venue, as they always are, but the West Coast Eagles, Fremantle Dockers, Port Adelaide Power and Adelaide Crows all temporarily based on the Goldie for the next few weeks.
In the NRL, at least one game is scheduled to take place at Suncorp Stadium each week between now and July 11. They'll feature either the Brisbane Broncos or the Gold Coast Titans — or, on June 27, both.
Just who'll be let into the grounds and how tickets will be made available seems to vary per code and perhaps even per team; however the Brisbane Lions have already announced that 1250 seats will be given to members selected at random, 400 will go to corporate partners and sponsors, 100 will be allocated internally, 100 will go to Queensland Cricketer's Club members, 50 will be distributed by the week's opposition team and 100 will be put up for general sale.
And, with Premier Palaszczuk's social media announcement specifically referencing sporting codes, no word has been given as yet regarding whether Queensland stadiums will also be able to host 2000 patrons for other events — such as cultural performances and concerts.
To find out more about Queensland's easing COVID-19 restrictions, and the status of the coronavirus in the state, visit Queensland's online COVID-19 hub.
To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website.
Top image: Brisbane Cricket Ground by Rae Allen for WikiCommons.
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