Sacramento Republic could have fans back in stadium from start of 2021 season

The state of California announced Friday that outdoor entertainment events, including live sports, could begin to allow a limited number of spectators from Apr. 1.

That means Sacramento Republic FC could see fans back at Papa Murphy’s Park from the start of the 2021 USL Championship season, projected to start around May 1. Details on just how many will get in, how they will be determined and so forth will be decided and announced at a later date, although from the state’s wording, even the most restrictive Purple Tier will still allow a very small number of fans to enter games again.

Republic FC released a statement on the announcement on Saturday afternoon:

As we continue to prepare for our upcoming season, we’re excited about the opportunity to welcome our passionate fans back to matches. We applaud the efforts of our state and Sacramento County leadership to ensure community health remains a priority, while working to create a pathway for a safe return to game day. The support of our fans and community have even more meaning this year, as we work to solidify a new investor for our Major League Soccer expansion plans. We are ready for the return of the drums, chants, songs, and cheers from Republic FC fans.

While there is always a risk that the decision to reopen from the coronavirus pandemic could lead to a new surge and require things to shut down once again, the hope is that the COVID vaccine will help prevent widespread outbreaks again. Here’s hoping!

At any rate, it looks like we can get back to seeing games in person again before long and can return to some of the normal activities we enjoyed before the pandemic left us stuck at home for a year. We’ll have more details on the stadium reopening plans when they are made available.

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