American Airlines Center Hosted Fans For First The Time Amid The Pandemic

For the first time since March, fans were welcomed back into American Airlines Center.

On Tuesday night, the Dallas Stars hosted a watch party for Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals against the Las Vegas Golden Knights. Because of the virus, the NHL teams are playing in a "bubble" location in Edmonton, Alberta, so the fans watched the game on the big screen as the action unfolded.

The arena can normally hold up to 18,500 fans, but because of the pandemic the capacity was capped at 20%.

There were many safety protocols in place. Each fan was required to wear a mask and the seating was in a pod system. Every other row was blocked off so no one could sit in them, which allowed for social distancing. Only couples and small groups were allowed to sit together.

Concession stands were all cashless and there were plastic barriers between the cashiers and the fans. In addition, there were sanitizing stations and social distancing signs located throughout the arena.

The Stars plan to host a watch party for the remaining games in the conference finals, and the free tickets for Game 3 and Game 4 are already gone.

Photo Credit: Getty