Notre Dame Football Will Play Home Games in Front of 20 Percent Capacity

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

Notre Dame announced Monday that it will limit home-game capacity at Notre Dame Stadium to 20 percent or less during the 2020 football season as a safety precaution amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The announcement explained any student who wants to buy a ticket will be allowed to do so, while any remaining tickets will go to faculty and staff. All those who attend must also wear masks.

"Beyond limiting the number of spectators at the game, the unique approach being taken by the University is designed to promote safety by limiting attendance to those individuals who are current members of the Notre Dame campus community," it said.

Head coach Brian Kelly expressed his excitement about the news:

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Notre Dame is typically an independent program without a conference affiliation for football, but this year will be an exception.

The Fighting Irish joined the ACC, which is where they play basketball, as a number of teams and conferences postponed play across the country. The postponements, including those from the Big Ten and Pac-12, would have impacted Notre Dame's schedule and left it scrambling to fill the void.

Instead, it will play an ACC schedule and perhaps compete for a conference crown.

It plays Duke, South Florida (nonconference), Florida State, Louisville, Clemson and Syracuse at home this season. The clash against Clemson stands out considering the Tigers won the College Football Playoff National Championship Game last year and are still a powerhouse program. The Fighting Irish will at least have some fans in the stadium if everything goes according to plan.

Notre Dame will start its season Sept. 12 against the Blue Devils.