If No Fans in Stands, Colts Would Lose Less than Most NFL Teams

Forbes ranking slots the Indianapolis Colts 27th out of 32 teams in terms of lost revenue if fans aren't permitted to attend NFL games in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

As the calendar moves closer to when NFL teams are supposed to report for training camp, the lingering doubts about how the coronavirus pandemic will impact the season include a popular narrative that games will be played without fans in the stands.

If that’s true, how much will each NFL team lose in revenue?

Based on figures from 2018, the NFL would lose $5.5 billion in stadium revenue — roughly 38 percent of total revenue — according to a recent article in Forbes magazine. That number takes into account tickets, concessions, sponsors, parking, and team stores.

Forbes also released a ranking of where NFL teams stand in terms of the financial bottom line. The Indianapolis Colts were slotted 27th at $112 million in team stadium revenue lost out of $393 million in total revenue.

The Dallas Cowboys were No. 1 at $621 million team stadium revenue out of $950 million in total revenue. The Las Vegas Raiders, who were moving into a new city and stadium, ranked 32nd at $77 million team stadium revenue lost out of $357 million in total revenue.

The article also pointed out that players would be hurt financially by not having fans in the stands. How much? In March, the league agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement that allocated 47 percent of football-related income to the players in 2020 and 48 percent to players in 2021.

Colts middle linebacker Anthony Walker was asked on Wednesday what it would be like to play games without fans in the stands in 2020.

“I think whatever it will be, the league will have our best interests at mind,” he said in a Zoom video conference call. “So if that is the best interest for the guys to go out there and still play the game that they love to play, I think guys will go out there and do it with no problem.

“I’m not saying it would be the same. Obviously, you love the fans, you love having that type of energy in the indoor. So you love to have those fans there, especially in Indy with the great fans that we have – that is always an advantage for us. Not having them will definitely be a little different, but I think guys will still have to go out there, execute, and do their job. It just might be a little quieter inside.”

Colts ticket-sales advisories sent to fans have included the note: “The NFL is preparing to play the 2020 season as scheduled and with increased protocols and safety measures in place. The league will be prepared to make adjustments as necessary in order to conduct games in as safe and efficient a manner as possible, based on the latest advice of medical and public health officials and in full compliance with current and future government regulations.

“As such, if a game is canceled and cannot be replayed, or is played under conditions that prohibit fans from attending, ticket refund information can be found at colts.com/Tickets.”

(Phillip B. Wilson has covered the Indianapolis Colts for more than two decades and authored the 2013 book 100 Things Colts Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die. He’s on Twitter @pwilson24, on Facebook at @allcoltswithphilb and @100thingscoltsfans, and his email is phillipbwilson24@yahoo.com.)