With Washington State on course to fully reopen after June 30, and as permitted by regional health authorities, including Public Health – Seattle & King County and the Washington State Department of Health, Seattle Sounders FC today welcomed its Season Ticket Members, also known as Alliance Members, back to their seats, announcing further details surrounding the club’s stadium capacity plans for the remainder of the 2021 season.
As rules and regulations continue to change across the state, the Rave Green are continuing a phased approach to fully reopening Lumen Field, using natural breaks in the team’s schedule to allow revision of policies as needed. Today, Alliance Members received communication regarding the club’s next three home matches, scheduled for June 23, June 26 and July 7. Following the July 7 match, Sounders FC next plays at home on July 25, giving the club the opportunity to focus on the upcoming trio of games, aligned with current regional health guidelines.
The next three matches allow Sounders FC to transition to full capacity throughout the lower bowl at Lumen Field – with all Season Ticket Members able to access their originally secured seating locations and single-match tickets available for purchase. As state and local guidance is updated, Sounders FC will evolve policies affecting the next match set, starting with the team’s July 25 home match vs. Sporting Kansas City, at which point the State of Washington is expected to be fully reopened without any remaining stipulations.
As a transitional step, for the team’s next group of three home matches – June 23, June 26 and July 7 – the club is opening to full capacity throughout the lower bowl. Due to current State of Washington health regulations, proof of full vaccination is currently required in order for fans to attend in full capacity sections. Children ages 5-15 who are not fully vaccinated or not eligible to be vaccinated can attend in full capacity sections with proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of kickoff.
In order to qualify as fully vaccinated, a fan must have received the second dose of a two-dose vaccine series (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna) or the single dose of the one-dose vaccine (Johnson & Johnson / Jansen) at least two weeks (14 days) prior to the match. For example, to be eligible to attend the June 23 home match in the lower bowl, such vaccination must be administered on or before June 9.
Due to these current restrictions, Members are being given additional flexibility for the three upcoming matches. Those who are unable to get vaccinated or who are not fully vaccinated as of June 23 may manage their tickets – including relocating to physically distanced sections in the upper bowl – or return their tickets for credit for any of the June 23, June 26 and July 7 match dates.
When Washington State fully opens for all sectors, no proof of vaccination or negative test will be required. Should that occur prior to June 23, then the club’s next three matches would then proceed under reopened guidelines, at full capacity and with no proof of vaccination required. The club will send further public communications in this event.
“We couldn’t be more excited today to welcome our Alliance Members – all of our Alliance Members – back to Lumen Field,” said Sounders FC Owner & President of Business Operations Peter Tomozawa. “With our entire lower bowl opening back up starting later this month, we can’t wait to see everyone back with us and hear your voices singing, cheering and giving the team your full 90. The Sounders matchday is an experience like no other, and it’s going to feel incredible and emotional to return to what we’ve been working toward.”
Tomozawa continued, “We also recognize that reaching this point of fully reopening has been a long and careful process, led by our public health experts and assisted by the wonderful science of our vaccines. We understand that not all of our fans may have had the opportunity to get vaccinated yet, and while we all hope that proof of vaccination will not be a requirement for entry to our matches later this season, our entire organization encourages anyone able who hasn’t yet gotten their shot to do so as soon as they can – to protect yourself, your loved ones and the community at large.”
Starting today, Sounders FC Alliance Members will find all tickets for remaining 2021 season matches loaded into their Account Manager system. Tickets for the next three matches are available to manage beginning the week of June 7. Due to the vaccination requirement for the next three games, Members are being given additional flexibility for these matches to return some or all of their tickets for account credit or to exchange tickets, in addition to the existing membership rights to resell, forward or donate.
Members who are unable to be vaccinated or not fully vaccinated by June 23 have the option to relocate to physically distanced seating – using Governor Inslee’s updated guidance issued on May 26 – in the upper level of the stadium or return tickets for credit for any of the June 23, June 26 or July 7 matches.
Members will be notified when matches beyond the next three contests are eligible for ticket management.
Below is additional information regarding the vaccination requirement for Sounders FC’s next three home matches.
HOME MATCHES AND VACCINATED STATUS
As stated above, until Washington State has fully reopened, Sounders FC must abide by currently set health guidelines. With this in mind, the club’s next three home matches – June 23 vs. Real Salt Lake, June 26 vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC and July 7 vs. Houston Dynamo – have been grouped together to allow a phased reopening approach. For these next three matches, the lower bowl at Lumen Field is being opened to full capacity, but with a vaccination requirement in place for all who attend, in order to meet the current state health guidelines.
Eligibility for entry to these matches is based on the following protocols:
- “Fully vaccinated” indicates that on the date of the match, it has been at least two weeks (14 days) since an individual and anyone they are purchasing a ticket for (12+) received the second dose in a two-dose vaccine series (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna) or the single dose of the one-dose vaccine (Johnson & Johnson / Jansen).
- To attend the June 23 home match as fully vaccinated under this protocol, fans must have received their second dose of the two-dose vaccines series or the single dose of the one-dose vaccine on or before June 9.
- To attend the June 23 home match as fully vaccinated under this protocol, fans must have received their second dose of the two-dose vaccines series or the single dose of the one-dose vaccine on or before June 9.
- Fans 12 and older who are fully vaccinated and show valid vaccination documentation can purchase tickets.
- Children ages 5-15 can attend these matches, but must present proof of a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of kickoff using a PCR test or within 24 hours of kickoff using a rapid test. These fans must wear a mask during the entirety of the match because they do not qualify as fully vaccinated.
- There is no onsite testing available. Testing must be completed independently prior to matchday.
Upon arrival at the gate, staff will confirm fan vaccine or test documentation. Once confirmed, fans are allowed to enter the stadium. The following methods are acceptable as proof of full vaccination (if 12 years or older):
- Vaccination card (which includes name of person vaccinated, type of vaccine provided and date of last dose administered).
- A photo of a vaccination card as a separate document.
- A photo of the attendee’s vaccination card stored on a phone or electronic device.
- Documentation of vaccination from a healthcare provider, electronic health record or state Immunization Information System record.
- NOTE: Self-reported vaccination records that are not verified by a healthcare provider cannot be accepted.
The following methods are acceptable as proof of a negative COVID-19 test result (between ages five and 15):
- Printed document (from the test provider or laboratory).
- An email or text message displayed on a phone or electronic device from the test provider or laboratory. The information provided should include name of person tested, type of test performed and date of negative test result.
- Self-reported negative test results that are not from a test provider, a laboratory, or a healthcare provider cannot be accepted.
- NOTE: For PCR tests, the date of the administered test must be within the prior 72 hours (please factor in the amount of time for the lab to return results). For antigen tests, the date of a negative result must be within the prior 24 hours.
- Self-reported negative test results that are not from a test provider, a laboratory, or a healthcare provider cannot be accepted.
Documentation of vaccination status and personal identification documentation must be available upon request at any time. Anyone without proof of vaccination or a negative test as described above will not be permitted entry to the next three home matches.
As was the case for the club’s May 23 and May 30 home matches for fans in vaccinated sections, fans that are eligible for lower bowl seating for the next three home games are not required to wear masks. This change to the club policy that was announced on May 11 comes following the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While eligible vaccinated fans for lower bowl sections no longer have to wear masks, children who are not fully vaccinated at this time but who test into the lower bowl must continue wearing masks. Out of an abundance of caution, Sounders FC advises all fans to continue wearing a mask – regardless of vaccination status – while on the Lumen Field concourses.
When Washington State fully opens for all sectors, no proof of vaccination or negative test will be required. Should that occur prior to June 23, then the club’s next three matches would then proceed under reopened guidelines, at full capacity and with no proof of vaccination required. The club will send further public communications in this event.
REMAINING 2021 HOME MATCHES
For home matches scheduled after July 7 – starting with the team taking on Sporting Kansas City on July 25 – Washington State is expected to be fully reopened without any remaining COVID-19 health requirements in place. Lumen Field will then continue operating at full capacity for Sounders FC matches, with no vaccination requirement in place.
Lumen Field has implemented an array of enhanced measures to make the Sounders FC matchday experience as safe as possible, including a touchless venue experience, new food and beverage protocols, in addition to enhanced sanitation procedures. All of these new measures will continue.
