Dolphins to remain at 20 percent capacity for now

[The Dolphin]

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The Dolphins will keep their seating capacity at 20 percent for now.

“I don’t see an increase in capacity anytime soon,” Tom Garfinkel, Dolphins CEO and vice chairman, said Tuesday, via Hal Habib of The Palm Beach Post.

Both the Dolphins and the University of Miami began this season with a limit of 13,000 fans at home games. The Dolphins have not reached capacity yet.

The Dolphins have totaled 46,613 fans for four home dates, an average of 11,653. Their biggest crowd came in their most recent home date, on Nov. 1, when 12,397 watched their victory over the Rams.

“It’s gone well,” Garfinkel said. “I think there was obviously a lot of diligence and a lot of thought that went into the plan, and investment. We’ve been pleased with how fans have respected the protocols and respected each other. It is what we’ve hoped for and expected.”

Although Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has OK’d full stadiums in the state, the Dolphins are more likely to allow fewer (or no) fans rather than more fans since COVID-19 numbers are increasing not decreasing.

“I think if things spike dramatically, the potential exists, we’re going to have games with no fans,” Garfinkel said. “If we feel like we can continue to put people safely together, socially distanced with masks on, we’ll continue to have the fans.”