NY Giants set for Monday Night Football home opener against Pittsburgh Steelers
EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (WABC) -- The New York Giants will host the Pittsburgh Steelers at MetLife Stadium Monday in a home opener unlike any in the team's history.
Fans are adapting in many cases where they cannot make it into the stadium, hosting watch parties to keep the excitement going.
There will not be any fans in the stadium for the Monday Night Football kickoff, and the story was similar in stadiums across the country when the NFL held its first full slate of games Sunday.
The New York Jets played in Buffalo without any fans, losing their game 17-27.
The Jacksonville Jaguars were the exception, which allowed fans inside the stadium at 25% capacity.
The stadium can hold more than 67,000 fans, with less than 17,000 fans present for the Colts-Jaguass game.
Many teams are making decisions on diminished capacity or no fans, but have left the option open to change their minds for the rest of the season.
In New Jersey, outdoor events are limited to 500 people or less, with the governor informing the Giants and Jets that they had to start the season without fans.
NFL Chief Medical officer Dr. Allen Sills explained some of the differences fans will notice this season.
"Certainly, far fewer support people around the field, including media in stadium staff and so forth, and those that are in and around the bench area will also be in masks and face coverings," he said. "Game officials will be in face coverings, even starting from the start of the game when people go out for the coin toss, there will only be one representative from each team."
The NFL is working with a virtual bubble with the same protocols for each team and each stadium.
You can watch the Giants Steelers game tonight at 7 p.m. on WPIX.
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