The Prudential Center is opening its doors to fans for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Following Gov. Phil Murphy’s announcement that venues like the Prudential Center can operate at 10% capacity, the New Jersey Devils released ticket information for the first few games of March. They sold out within 48 hours.

“It’s a great feeling. We’ve certainly missed them,” says Prudential Center vice president of event operations and guest experience Joe Altenau. “It’s great to have Devils hockey back, but it will be even more exciting once we have fans in the arena.”

The 1,800 fans that will be able to attend games must be familiar with the Prudential Center’s new COVID-19 safety procedures.

“We’ve created an entire website with all the information about our practices and the Prudential Center pledge, which outlines everything we’re asking guests to keep themselves and to keep us safe,” Altenau says.

The entire process to attend a game is now contactless. It starts with mobile tickets and assigned entrances to the arena.

“In addition, they are going to be assigned a timeslot so that we’re able to stagger the entrance so that we don’t have that big crush anymore,” Altenau says.

After fans get their temperatures checked at security, they must make their way to their assigned “neighborhoods,” which are seats in groups of two or four that are spaced out 6 feet apart.

“We’ve gone through and strapped off the seats that are not going to be in use and then we’ve left open the ones that are available,” Altenau says.

More than 300 hand sanitizers have been added around the arena and a majority of the concessions stands will be open. Fans can preorder food on their phones and then one person per “neighborhood” will be allowed to retrieve it.

“That way as soon as they go up to the concession stand, they will just walk up, pick it up and it will already be paid for and in an all-in-one bag,” Altenau says.

Masks must be worn the entire time fans are in the arena unless they are eating in their seat.

To avoid the mass exodus at the end of the game, fans must remain in their seats and a PA announcer will then dismiss them section by section. They will leave the arena the same way they came in.

Any fan who has questions can see the guest services team, which has gone through extensive training.

“We're going to have dedicated team members walking around to ensure all of our social distancing practices are being enforced and making sure that everybody is kept safe while they are here at the arena,” Altenau says.