The familiar roar of Lambeau Field will be silent early in 2020.
The Packers announced Thursday they will not host fans at their venerated stadium for their first two home games due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
"Lambeau Field will not be the same without our fans' energetic support in the stands," said Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy. "Given the extraordinary circumstances this year and the additional protocols in place, though, we determined it was best to take incremental steps to start the regular season. These two games will allow us to focus our attention on safely conducting games inside the stadium with all necessary participants.
"We are hopeful that we will be able to host fans for games later in the season, should conditions allow. We will continue to consult with community healthcare and public health officials on the pandemic conditions in our area. We ask our fans to continue to help by wearing masks and maintaining social distancing guidelines."
The announcement means the Packers will not have a chance to host fans at Lambeau Field until their Week 8 game against the Minnesota Vikings on Nov. 1.
Thursday's announcement is not the first of its kind. Earlier this summer, the Giants and Jets informed fans in a joint announcement that they would not be able to host fans at MetLife Stadium at all during the 2020 season due to state and local requirements amid the pandemic.
