Football fans in Ohio sure are a passionate bunch.
That much is evident after six stadium officials were needed to break up a fight during the Browns' 35-30 win over the Bengals on "Thursday Night Football" — a game in which Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine allowed only 6,000 attendees because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Browns only had 6K fans in their stadium last night...and people still managed to get into a fight 💀
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) September 18, 2020
(via @Andrewgarson_) pic.twitter.com/sjQe9QCa7U
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Cleveland took great pains to ensure that fans could attend Thursday's game, one of four that DeWine has allowed the public to attend this year (two for the Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium and two for the Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium). Those safeguards include:
- 6 feet of social distancing
- Mask/face covering requirements
- Health screening, on-site temperature checks and health questionnaires for all staff
- Enhanced cleaning and disinfecting protocols
- Comprehensive hygiene protocols
- Extensive training, signage and communication
- Accountability, flexibility and compliance
It seems even those safeguards couldn't stand up to the, um, passionate fan base in attendance. What's even more curious is that Cleveland sold tickets in pods, allowing families to sit together and limiting the amount of social interaction between individuals.
That said, here's hoping the actions of a few fans don't ruin it for everyone else.
