Zimmer calls NFL's decision to allow different crowd sizes 'unfair'

Mike Zimmer isn't a fan of the NFL having no uniform policy regarding the number of fans allowed into stadiums on game day.
"I think there are some unfair things going on around it as far as some teams can have fans and some teams can't," the Vikings coach said Friday. "So I think there is a competitive disadvantage in some of those areas."

Zimmer said establishing home-field advantage at U.S. Bank Stadium during the coronavirus pandemic "is going to be hard because … it looks like we're not going to have any fans in there early, which really stinks because we have unbelievable fans. They make that place rocking every Sunday."

The Vikings are operating under current state restrictions prohibiting crowds larger than 250 people at indoor events, which, Zimmer said, "doesn't make it financially possible to invite 250 people when it costs that much money to open up the stadium."

The Packers won't object if that doesn't change by the time they arrive for the Sept. 13 season opener. As Zimmer pointed out, "The concentration is so much harder [for the visiting team] when you got 66,000 crazy Vikings fans who are doing the Skol chant."

The Vikings are in talks with state officials to see if they can safely get fans into the stadium, with maximum capacity of about 20%. The Vikings' NFC North rivals — the Packers, Bears and Lions — have announced no fans will be allowed in their stadiums for at least the first two home games or longer. Other teams, like the Chiefs and Colts (the Vikings' Week 2 opponent), have said they would limit attendance to around 20-25% capacity.

The Vikings will practice at U.S. Bank Stadium next Friday. Zimmer said they'll scrimmage for two quarters while creating the same atmosphere players will see on game day.

"We'll have the scoreboard going and the lights and all the stuff, and the crowd noise that they'll hear during the game," he said. "Try to get them as used to it as they possibly can so the first day it's not a shock."

And the rules on that crowd noise will be?

"It's decibels between 80 and 90," Zimmer said. "It just plays the same noise the entire time for both home and away. You don't really get to do any Skol chants or anything like that. It's going to be very stagnant. Just background noise.

"Which makes a lot of sense, right? I'll probably get in trouble for saying that."