Rams may play without fans in SoFi Stadium's inaugural season

The Los Angeles Rams cautioned season-ticket members Tuesday that fans could be excluded from the debut season of SoFi Stadium due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to ESPN's Lindsey Thiry.

At most, the Rams would allow 15,000 fans to attend home games, provided they wear masks. The venue contains a capacity of 70,000.

SoFi Stadium, which was financed for $5.5 billion by Rams owner Stan Kroenke, was expected to open with great fanfare. The Las Vegas Raiders are in a similar predicament, though Allegiant Stadium cost $1.8 billion, paling in comparison to the venue in Inglewood, California.

With the preseason expected to be slashed, the first NFL game in SoFi Stadium history figures to take place in Week 1 of the regular season, when the Rams host the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football.

The Los Angeles Chargers are co-tenants with the Rams after spending the last three years at Dignity Health Sports Park, a small stadium built for the MLS' Los Angeles Galaxy.