The Georgia State Department of Athletics released an official statement regarding the fall 2020 seasons on Monday afternoon answering a few frequently asked questions.

First and foremost, per the department’s official press release, “the Department of Athletics is finalizing a set of guidelines as well as FAQs about the upcoming fall sports season.”

In hopes of returning all student-athletes to a safe environment, Georgia State plans to compete in all fall sports – court volleyball, soccer, cross country, tennis and golf.

Now, sports are not the same without fans. As such, the university also hopes that their fans can attend games and meets. The venues of all competitions will be able to reach up to 50% capacity. NCAA and Sun Belt Conference guidelines call for this number, which translates to 12,000 to 13,000 fans.

With a number like this, practicing social distancing may be difficult. But the Sun Belt intends to do their best to ensure that everyone is six feet apart, at minimum. After great efforts with Ticketmaster, Georgia State has decided to arrange fans in a max block of eight seats together with no one in front or behind them. Rows bordering the field or court will be blocked off as well.

Of course, the big question remains: Are sporting events safe? While Georgia State did not give a direct answer, they made it clear that additional signage will be placed around all venues to encourage social distancing. Wearing a mask will also be strongly encouraged as Georgia State works with its fans to get through this unprecedented time.

These guidelines are subject to change at any point as of July 13th, and no further statements have been made.