If Joe Burrow isn’t having fun playing football today, he won’t be alone. The fans at Cincinnati won’t be having fun when they get to their assigned locations for the game.
The Bengals didn’t remove the snow from the seats. The relevant rule clearly requires them to do so.
From the NFL’s playing field specifications: “Each home club is responsible for having a snow removal plan in place and ensuring that its stadium has adequate snow removal equipment available. Snow and ice must be removed from the stadium before all games. This applies to the playing field, sidelines, seating bowl, aisles, pedestrian ramps, walkways, parking lots, etc. This also applies to the sidelines; snow may not be pushed into piles and remain against stadium walls so that it interferes with standard game or sideline operations.”
The attached photo was taken from the field, before the game. Obviously, no one paid for the seats at Paycor Stadium to be de-snowed.
Said the Bengals, when reached for comment by PFT: “Seat aisles were prioritized and are in good shape. Seats are easily wiped off and ushers are equipped to help there.”
Regardless, the rule says what it says. We’ll see what the NFL has to say about the failure of the Bengals to fully comply with the snow-removal rules.
