Report: NFL mandates teams set up tiered facility access

[June 23, 2020]  A memo obtained by ESPN from the NFL outlines the league's mandate that all 32 teams set up tiered access for all employees.

Adam Schefter reported Monday that each team must submit their list of all employees and their access approval before training camp begins, the latest step designed to promote health and safety during the coronavirus pandemic.

All NFL teams are due to report to training camp in five weeks, with 26 scheduled for a uniform report date of July 28.

NFL teams were told to designate their Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 employees and turn the plans into the league office seven days before the first mandatory reporting date for players.

The "tiers" differentiate which employees can access which areas of a team's facility, including the dining hall, practice fields, locker room, training room, meeting rooms, press area and beyond. Each tier must have different entrances and wear credentials with photo identification and their formal title with the team.

Per Schefter, the tiers are divided as such:

** Tier 1: Players, coaches, trainers, physicians and necessary personnel requiring direct access to the players.

** Tier 2: General managers, team presidents, football operations employees, other assistant coaches, video personnel, security and other essential personnel who may need to be in close proximity to the players and other Tier 1 individuals who may need to access restricted areas. Only individuals assigned to Tiers 1 and 2 will be permitted access to restricted areas, and there will be limits on the number of individuals from each team that can be assigned Tier 1 and Tier 2 access at any given time.

** Tier 3: Operational personnel, in-house media and broadcast personnel, field managers, transportation providers and individuals who perform essential facility, stadium or event services but do not require close contact with Tier 1 individuals. Team and other personnel who work exclusively in areas of team facilities that are cordoned off from the rest of the facility do not need to be credentialed in one of the three access tiers.

Field Level Media

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