Unleash the Caniacs: More hockey fans will be allowed at PNC Arena in time for Game 1
The Carolina Hurricanes will have a larger-than-expected home-ice advantage in the Stanley Cup playoffs, though exactly how much larger is still in question.
This much we do know: Gov. Roy Cooper announced Friday that effective immediately he was lifting several of the state’s COVID-19 restrictions, including those on mandatory indoor capacities and social distancing, effectively opening the door for the Hurricanes to bring as many fans into PNC Arena as NHL regulations will allow.
PNC Arena can normally seat 18,680 for hockey. Hurricanes president and general manager Don Waddell said Friday the team was still discussing with the NHL how many fans the team would initially be allowed to host, but that NHL ventilation standards would still limit PNC to about 10,000-12,000 fans until the team can bring in additional HVAC and dehumidifying equipment.
Waddell said the team had already started that process, but the equipment would take about 10-14 days to procure and install. The Hurricanes open the playoffs on Monday against the Nashville Predators at PNC Arena.
“We are working with the NHL,” Waddell said. “Now that we know what the state requirements are, which are unlimited, we have to work with the NHL ... to talk about what they allow us to do. It’s all about how much the airflow is in the building. Our goal is to get as many people as possible.”
Dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary for NC Department of Health and Human Services, said Friday that masks at large sporting events are still recommended, and Waddell said one of the NHL protocols is that anyone coming into the arena must wear a mask. That has not changed.
How the Canes were prepping for fewer fans
The state’s previous restrictions limited indoor arenas to 50% of capacity — at PNC Arena, about 9,000 — but state social-distancing requirements limited the Hurricanes to 4,987 since the latest loosening of restrictions in late March.
By utilizing more suites and creating bigger pods of fans within the stands, the Hurricanes were set to bump that to about 6,000 for the first-round series with the Predators.
But that changed Friday with Cooper’s announcement.
The Predators were set to have about 14,000 fans for their home playoff games at Bridgestone Arena, which was a concern for Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour, who said that would be a big advantage. Games 3, 4 and 6, if necessary, will be played in Nashville.
The discussion about the disparity intensified Thursday as the NHL released the playoff schedule. Social media was abuzz.
“I don’t think that really plays a factor in making decisions for our state, what other states are doing,” Waddell said. “Certainly from our end as a home-ice advantage, we looked at it, but I think people in the decision-making roles for the state of North Carolina are going to do what’s best for North Carolina, not what’s going on in Nashville.”
The Hurricanes submitted an increased attendance plan to the NC Department of Health and Human Services late Thursday, Chris Mackey, NC DHHS director of communications, told the N&O in an email. The plan wasn’t approved or rejected by DHHS or Cooper because ”by then we were in the process of reviewing the CDC’s new guidance and have updated capacity limits effective today.”
North Carolina senators Amy Galey (R-Alamance) and Lisa S. Barnes (R-Nash) sent a letter Thursday to Cooper urging that he allow the Canes to increase capacity.
Logistical issues with larger crowds
Waddell said the Hurricanes worked in conjunction with the Charlotte Hornets and the Charlotte Motor Speedway in seeking a change in capacity and social distancing restrictions. He called it a “pretty good push from all the sports organizations.”
North Carolina’s COVID-19 capacity restrictions were to be loosened June 1, Cooper had said.
“We’ve spent a lot of money and a lot of time making sure we did it right,” Waddell told the N&O this week. “We think we can do it right if we increase attendance. From our customers, the only complaints we’ve gotten is when someone doesn’t have their mask on all the time and that’s just going to be an ongoing thing anyway.
“We’ve sent out surveys asking if people feel safe in the building. We’ve got the cleaning crews going up and down cleaning the handrails. The restrooms are manned. We’re doing everything we can to prove not only to the state but to our customers we have the best environment we can.”
There are logistical issues to be resolved when suddenly opening up the arena to bigger crowds. Waddell noted the Canes have been short-staffed at recent home games, saying, “Getting people back to work has been very difficult.”
Waddell said Hurricanes season-ticket holders would have first priority on getting the added playoff tickets.
“Once we take care of everybody we need to take care of, if there is any tickets available, we will turn those over to the general public,” he said.
Staff writer Luke DeCock contributed to this report.
This story was originally published May 14, 2021 at 1:51 PM with the headline "Unleash the Caniacs: More hockey fans will be allowed at PNC Arena in time for Game 1."
