MN Vikings: First 2 Home Games Will Be 'Closed To The Public'

EAGAN, MN — The Minnesota Vikings Tuesday announced that the club's first two home games of the 2020 regular season will be "closed to the public." The team decided not to allow fans into U.S. Bank Stadium because of risks amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Minnesota is set to host the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Sept. 13. The Vikings will play the Tennessee Titans at home on Sept. 27.

The team issued the following statement:

"Over the past several months, we have collaborated with U.S. Bank Stadium partners, the NFL, the State of Minnesota and the City of Minneapolis to determine the best way to safely and responsibly host a limited number of fans at Vikings home games," the team said in a statement Tuesday.

"We have sought to balance the opportunity to provide fan access with the responsibility to adhere to public health and medical guidance in order to maintain the health and safety of fans, players, staff members and the broader community. Ultimately, public health is our top priority."

Both of the first two home games are scheduled to kick off at 12 p.m. central.

Vikings Schedule: Open With Packers At Home

"Based on our conversations and the current Minnesota Department of Health guidelines that specify an indoor venue capacity of 250, we have determined it is not the right time to welcome fans back to U.S. Bank Stadium," the Vikings' statement continued.

"As a result, the first two Vikings home games on Sunday, Sept. 13, and Sunday, Sept. 27, will be closed to the public. We will continue to work with the appropriate officials on our plans with the hope of bringing fans back in a safe manner later this season."

Vikings Players 'Likely' Had False Positive COVID-19 Results: Lab

A New Jersey lab says that "false positives" are the reason why a high number of players in the NFL — including eight players on the Minnesota Vikings, one coach and three staff members — recently tested positive for COVID-19.

"On August 22, BioReference Laboratories reported an elevated number of positive COVID-19 PCR test results for NFL players and personnel at multiple clubs," the lab said in a statement Monday.

"The NFL immediately took necessary actions to ensure the safety of the players and personnel. Our investigation indicated that these were most likely false positive results, caused by an isolated contamination during test preparation in the New Jersey laboratory."

According to the lab, "all individuals impacted have been confirmed negative and informed."