JMU Football Spring 2020-21 Spectator, Television & Streaming FAQ

James Madison Athletics has begun its 2020-21 spring football season. In an effort to consolidate questions submitted by constituents, the following frequently asked questions are presented.

What is the capacity of Bridgeforth Stadium this spring?
Executive Order 72 from the Governor of Virginia currently limits spectators at a sporting event in the Commonwealth to 250. Beginning March 1, the governor's orders allow for an increase to 1,000 spectators in Bridgeforth. Typically, Bridgeforth Stadium's capacity is 24,877 but is currently limited by the executive order.

How can I purchase tickets for a game this spring?
There are no tickets available to the general public at this time. This ensures that families and guests of our student-athletes and coaches can be prioritized. With the March 1 update to 1,000, newly available seats will be distributed to JMU students and donors.

Could the capacity increase during the season?
JMU, like all state agencies, is in regular communication with the Governor's office in Richmond. On Feb. 24, Gornernor Northam shared updates to allow for 30 percent or a maximum of 1,000 spectators at large outdoor venues. His update mentioned that a further increase beyond 1,000 could be possible in April, but would depend upon on-going numbers and guidance from health and safety professionals.

Since I can't attend, how can I watch the games online?
All games can be streamed on FloSports as part of the CAA's agreement with its primary media partner. JMU fans have access to $12.50/month pricing by using the link flosports.tv/caa. Or, fans can commit to a one-year subscription at a rate of $7.99/month.

I'd rather watch on television than pay for a stream, will all the games be on TV?
Philosophically, JMU Athletics does believe that television is important for our constituents and brand presence and strives to have every game on a regional TV network. Playing football in spring presents challenges with our primary regional partners due to overlaps with local MLB, NHL and NBA organizations as well as other programming. This Saturday's game (Feb. 27) vs. Robert Morris will air on NBC Sports Washington (find NBCSW on your local listings here). March and April games are not finalized yet and will be shared as soon as confirmed.

Weren't games free online in the past?
For most of its recent history, JMU Athletics streamed games on its MadiZONE platform with a company called Stretch Internet. This arrangement was part of the CAA's "CAA.tv" online network. That arrangement worked well for JMU as corporate sponsorships covered costs in order to provide it to fans for free. However, the CAA's agreement with Stretch expired in June of 2019 and the league entered a new media agreement with FloSports. As part of this agreement, JMU can no longer present broadcasts for free to its fans. As shared in a previous communication from Director of Athletics Jeff Bourne, JMU was the only league school to vote against the current arrangement with FloSports. The 2020-21 year is the second of a four-year agreement with FloSports. Fans may recall that some events still appeared for free on MadiZONE in 2019-20. This was because the FloSports agreement calls for 300 total league contents to be streamed, and JMU could stream games for free if they fell beyond the 300. However, in 2020-21 the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced the number of total competitions for all schools; thus all events must go on FloSports in order to hit the contractual total of 300.

I'm a current JMU student, what are my options to watch the game?
Student attendance is not available for the February 27 game vs. Robert Morris, but a small number can be accommodated for the remaining three home games beginning March 13 vs. William & Mary. More information on student tickets is available at student.JMUTickets.com. In addition, games airing on regional television on NBC Sports Washington, NBC Sports Washington Plus and MASN are available on campus cable in residence halls and on many off-campus cable television lineups. Students unable to attend or watch on television can also purchase a subscription to FloSports for $12.50/month to stream the game. FloSports does not offer any free or reduced subscription rates for students of partner institutions.

What about the playoffs?
Attendance for any possible home playoff games will still be dictated by Virginia Governor Northam's capacity limits at large outdoor venues as well as the NCAA's postseason attendance safety measures. In terms of media coverage, ESPN owns both the television and streaming rights to the FCS Playoffs. All games are on the ESPN app with select games in each round also available on one of ESPN's national TV networks. JMU football playoff games will not air on FloSports.

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