SEC ISSUES FAN ADVISORY FOR 2020 FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (December 8, 2020) – Fans attending the 2020 SEC Football Championship Game in Atlanta on December 19 are encouraged to become familiar with policies related to fan enjoyment and security for the game.
The 2020 SEC Football Championship game will kick off at 8 pm ET / 7 pm CT on December 19 in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium and will be televised by CBS. The game will have a limited seating capacity of 16,500 due to COVID-19 restrictions and the game is sold out.
- COVID-19 Safeguards – Fans are asked to follow public health guidelines to protect themselves and others against COVID-19.
- Gates of Mercedes-Benz Stadium will open at 6:30 p.m. ET for early-arriving fans.
- SEC Clear Bag Policy – For security purposes, only clear bags are permitted in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Bags will be inspected before entry.
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium Cashless Policy – By accepting only credit cards, debit cards and mobile payments, transactions take place faster and allows concessions and merchandise vendors to operate more efficiently for customers.
- SEC Ticket Exchange – Fans should be aware of counterfeit tickets and should use the SEC Ticket Exchange to purchase verified tickets.
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium Pom-Pom Policy – Pom-poms or shakers must have paddle handles to be admitted into the stadium. Pom-poms or shakers with stick handles are prohibited for safety reasons.
- RV Parking and tailgating will be allowed in The Home Depot Backyard West Lawn and M Lot, following the COVID-19 Health and Safety protocols.
The health of our student-athletes, campus communities, fans and general public is an ongoing priority of the Southeastern Conference and its member institutions. Fans attending the 2020 SEC Football Championship Game are asked to adhere to the following public health guidelines:
- Face coverings are required to be worn in all areas inside the venue.
- Wash hands frequently for 20 seconds with soap and water or use hand sanitizer.
- Physical distancing is required. Maintain six (6) feet physical distance from others.
Fans are asked to stay home if they are experiencing any of the following symptoms:
- Fever (equal to or above 100.4)
- Cough
- Chills
- Muscle pain
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Sore throat
- New loss of taste or smell
SEC Clear Bag Policy
The SEC strongly encourages fans not to bring any type of bags to the championship game. The types of bags below will be permitted into the competition venue:
- Bags must be clear plastic, vinyl or PVC and may not exceed 12” x 6” x 12”
- Fans may use a one-gallon clear plastic freezer bag
- Small clutch bags can be no larger than 4.5” x 6.5” with or without a handle or strap
Bags will be monitored at a secondary security perimeter set up around Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and law enforcement presence and K-9 patrols will be prevalent throughout the area.
Binbox lockers will be available outside Gates 1 and 2 for fans who want to rent a locker to store items. Lockers will be available for rental 2.5 hours prior to the start of the game and 1.5 hours post-game. Contactless locker storage can be operated via the Binbox app. Items must be retrieved from the lockers on the same day. Fans can visit https://www.binboxlockers.com/ for more information on Binbox.
MBS Cashless Policy
Mercedes-Benz Stadium became the first stadium to implement a complete stadium-wide cashless transaction model in March 2019. Transitioning to cashless transactions stadium-wide allows the stadium to move away from its whole-dollar pricing model, which was initially instituted to help speed transaction times, to further improve speed of service.
Ten (10) cash-to-card kiosks will be available around the stadium for those who prefer not to use their own cards or who prefer to carry cash. Guests will be able to feed the cash into the machine and obtain a pre-paid debit card with the same amount with no transaction fee. These cards can be utilized as any other pre-paid debit card or credit card within the stadium as well as outside the stadium. Cash-to-Card Kiosk locations are:
- Gate 1
- Field Level: Outside of Delta Sky 360 Club and outside Mercedes-Benz Club, Tunnel 4
- 100 Concourse: Team Store, Section 122
- 200 Concourse: Sections 203 and 229
- 300 Concourse: Section 332
Digital, contactless payment is currently accepted at all concession stands. Apple Pay users will receive instant rewards for purchases inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium. For more information, fans can visit https://mercedesbenzstadium.com/card-mobile-payment/.
SEC Ticket Exchange
To purchase verified tickets on the SEC Ticket Exchange, the only authorized and official fan-to-fan ticket marketplace for the SEC Football Championship Game, fans should visit www.secticketoffice.com. Ticket barcodes are verified by Ticketmaster, the ticket partner of Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Note, listed prices are set by the seller and may exceed original face value.
MBS Pom-Pom/Shaker Policy
Fans will not be allowed to bring in pom-poms/shakers with a stick handle in order to maintain a safe and enjoyable venue for customers. Only those with a paddle handle will be permitted.
RV Parking and Tailgating
RV parking and tailgating is permitted in The Home Depot Backyard (HDBY) West Lawn and M Lot, following the COVID-19 Health and Safety protocols:
- Fans must have a valid ticket to the 2020 SEC Football Championship Game in order to tailgate.
- To promote physical distancing, at least one space between vehicles is required. The use of space in between physically distanced vehicles is not permitted.
- Tailgating is permitted with your immediate event day seating group only.
- Maintain six feet (6’) physical distance from other groups. Parties must not comingle.
- Face coverings are strongly recommended while tailgating and will be required when approaching the stadium screening area.
- Face coverings are required in all common areas of HDBY (restrooms, etc.).
The parking lots where tailgating is permitted will open at 3 p.m. ET, five (5) hours prior to kickoff.
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