WVU Announces 20 Percent Capacity Limit for 2020-21 Basketball Games

West Virginia University today announced via email that approximately 20 percent of attendance capacity will be allowed into WVU Coliseum for the 2020-21 basketball season. This number is less than 3,000 fans per game to allow for proper COVID-19 safety protocols as the pandemic persists throughout the country.

Tickets will be grouped in distanced blocks of two or four tickets, as done in Milan Puskar Stadium for WVU football games. Most tickets available for purchase will only be in the upper level of the Coliseum. Lower-level seats will be reserved for high-end donors, University officials, and families of the players.

The men’s team opens its season at home on Wednesday, Dec. 2, against Youngstown State. The women will open on Thursday, Dec. 3, against North Alabama.

“COVID-19 continues to present all of us with many challenges, and I am thankful for the cooperation of all parties involved in order to get the basketball season underway,” WVU Director of Athletics Shane Lyons said. “While we hoped to be able to welcome fans back at the 25 percent of capacity level this season, we had to take into account the Big 12, local and state safety measures that we are following, along with safety zones around the court. Once these factors were considered, 20 percent capacity is the maximum number we can accommodate as we continue our focus on the health and safety of our student-athletes, University and community.”

Tickets for men’s and women’s basketball games will be sold on a single-game basis. The priority for ticket purchases will go to Mountaineer Athletic Club members, 2019-2020 season-ticket holders, students, and then families. A limited amount of tickets will be allocated to opposing teams, likely for family and staff.

Group priority for ticket purchasing:

1. MAC members at The Summit, Stadium Suite and Mountaineer Scholar levels for lower-level seats.
2. MAC members who were basketball season-ticket holders in 2019-2020 for upper-level seats.
3. Non-MAC members who were basketball season-ticket holders last season for upper-level seats.
4. MAC members who did not purchase season tickets last basketball season for upper-level seats.
5. General public for upper-level seats.

It is unclear if, but presumed that, the lower-level student section will be used for students. WVU did not mention how many tickets will be allocated to the student body; details will be released at a late date.

Additional safety measures:

• Face coverings required to enter the Coliseum, encouraged at all times while inside, except when eating and drinking.
• Mobile ticketing for all games
• Single-game parking passes can be purchased by the same priority groups but tailgating is prohibited.