Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, going to a Lebanon High School football game will be like no other year before.
Lebanon R-3 Activities Director and head football coach Will Christian announced on Wednesday afternoon that fans would be required to have a voucher to enter the stadium for home and road games for the upcoming football season.
According to Christian, Lebanon is allowed 1,500 total vouchers for home varsity football games, and they will be allowed 400 vouchers for road varsity football games. Home sub-varsity games (junior varsity and freshman) will not require vouchers, but fans will be required to pay at the gate.
The process for vouchers throughout the season will be as follows:
Tuesday: Each participant (football players, band members and cheerleaders) and coaches/directors of the respected groups competing/performing will fill out a sheet with the number of desired vouchers.
Wednesday: Vouchers will be sold to participants based on the number they requested, and any amendments that need to be changed will be done at that time. After Wednesday, there will be a set number of vouchers remaining.
Thursday: During the lunch shifts at LHS, students will be allowed to buy vouchers remaining from the AD’s office. After lunch at 1 p.m., there will be a release made about vouchers remaining for sale to the public. At 1:30 p.m. on Thursdays, the available vouchers will be for sale at Garner and Associates Insurance office at 1431 N. Jefferson Ave. Patrons will not be able to enter the school and buy vouchers, and there will be no vouchers for sale at any game.
The cost of vouchers that will be purchasable by the public will be $4 for adults and $2 for students (standard game pricing). There will be no passes accepted at football games and no reserved seating.
Football games in 2020 will be live-streamed on YouTube by LHS teacher Eric Adams. Fans can subscribe to “The Hive” YouTube channel for live broadcasts of home games this season. They are hoping to reach 1,000 subscribers to improve the quality of the streams.
Fans will be encouraged to practice social distancing at games, and all fixed seating will be staggered to create physical distancing. The seating will be at 50 percent capacity. Masks should be used when patrons are entering the facility and leaving the facility, when fans are in line at the concession stand, and when using the restroom at the stadium, per Christian.
He also mentioned that fans would not be required to have a voucher for any other LHS fall sport home games. Sections in Boswell Auditorium will be marked off to assist will social distancing, and signs will be placed in the facility, encouraging distancing.
