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Survey: Many Sports Fans Are Ready To Return To Indoor Events

(CBS4) - More sports fans are warming up the idea of attending games indoors, according to a recent poll from Morning Consult. In the poll, 48 percent of U.S. adults who regularly attend sporting events say they would be comfortable going to a game inside a half-full indoor venue. 72 percent of regular event-goers would be comfortable if facilities required fans to wear masks.

San Antonio Spurs v Denver Nuggets
Rocky the Mountain Lion, mascot of the Denver Nuggets, celebrates with fans during a game between the San Antonio Spurs and Nuggets on April 10, 2013 at the Pepsi Center. (Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)

The highest number of regular eventgoers who would feel comfortable attending a game indoors is at 59 percent, with the arenas at 25 percent capacity. Only 34 percent said they would feel comfortable attending a game at full capacity.

The numbers are similar for sports fans who regularly attend games in outdoor venues. 55 percent say they would feel comfortable going to a game that is half-full, while only 35 percent would go to a game at full capacity.

Minnesota Wild v Colorado Avalanche - Game One
Fans support the Colorado Avalanche as they prepare to face the Minnesota Wild in Game One of the First Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Pepsi Center on April 17, 2014 in Denver. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

The numbers are important for both the NBA and NHL as they hold their games indoors and would want to open their arenas to fans once their next season begins. Neither league has announced a start date, so the Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche are currently in limbo, but Ball Arena will be used as a voting center for the upcoming election.

The Denver Broncos currently have a cap of 5,700 fans attending their games at Empower Field at Mile High and the Colorado Rapids will have 1,165 fans at Dick's Sports Goods Park for their remaining games.

Morning Consult, a global data intelligence company, conducted the poll from Oct. 14-16, speaking with 2,200 adults, including 663 who say they regularly attend sporting events per year.

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