Gophers announce fan limitations at sporting events due to Coronavirus concerns

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TCF Bank Stadium was sold out on Saturday as the Gophers upset #4 Penn State.

MINNEAPOLIS - The University of Minnesota Athletic Department is limiting fan access to home events moving forward due to Coronavirus concerns, according to a statement released Wednesday night.

The university says only teams, their families, essential game day staff, credentialed media and TV network partners will have access to Gophers’ home events.

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The move means the Gophers football team’s spring practices on March 17 and March 31, previously open to the public, will now be closed. The Spring Game, set for April 4, would be closed to the public. It would mark the second straight year the Spring Game was closed to the public. Last year, the game had to be moved from TCF Bank Stadium to the team’s indoor facility at Athletes Village due to a winter storm earlier in the week.

The Gophers women’s hockey team hosts Ohio State in the NCAA Tournament on Saturday at Ridder Arena. That will be closed to the public.

The Gophers’ women’s gymnastics team is hosting its final regular season home meet Saturday against No. 1-ranked Oklahoma. The event at Maturi Pavilion was sold out, but is now closed to the public.

The NCAA Wrestling Championships, hosted by the Gophers at U.S. Bank Stadium March 19-21, are now closed to the public.