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When the Valley High School Rams return to the Valley Sportsplex for their first game of the season, there will be several changes that will become the new normal for the 2020 season.

The change starts with the tickets. Instead of handing in or selling paper tickets, they will be sold via a digital ticketing platform called gofan, which is a website that sells tickets for high school events around the country.

Tickets will be bought on the website or its corresponding app. Tickets will be limited, so there will be no tickets sold at the gate.

Once bought, the user will show the tickets on the app, which are available on the app, text or on email, to the ticket checker, who will click accept.

“They purchase those tickets online so we never have to count money,” Valley Athletic Director Adam Hunter said. “It’s helping them [teachers, volunteers and administrators] out a lot, getting people in and out of the gates quicker, and we won’t have long lines waiting at the ticket booth. Hopefully, that will help in the flow of the fans coming in and out of the game.”

Overall, Rams Stadium is going to be limited to one-third of its maximum capacity, which is 876 seats. Two tickets will be sold to the family members of the players, cheerleaders and band. After removing seats needed for the band, there are 611 tickets for sale on the home side. There will be 392 tickets for the visitor’s side after taking out the seats for the band.

Fans may only enter the main gate, which will be divided by home and visitors. Rams Stadium will be divided for the game, not allowing crossover from one side to the other.

Athletes will wear facemasks when on the sideline and be separated whenever possible, which is in accordance with the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s regulations.

Also in accordance with the AHSAA guidelines, those participating in the game, players, coaches, cheerleaders and the band, will be the only people permitted on the sidelines during the game.

The sideline will also be expanded from the 10-yard line to the other 10-yard line, allowing for more room to distance the players. Coaches will still be limited from the 20-yard line to the other 20-yard line to follow AHSAA guidelines.

For athletes, bottled water will be provided and must be thrown away after each use, even if all the contents are not consumed.

Cheerleaders must wear masks and must be separated when they are performing stunts. Band members will be required to wear masks unless their instrument requires them to use their mouth.

Fans must also wear masks and be socially distanced. Families can sit together, according to Hunter, but must distance themselves from others.

Concession stands will be open, but only selling prepackaged items. Those wishing to buy food from the concession stands must wear their mask and maintain the six-feet of social distancing. Workers in the concession stands will also wear masks.