The Pro Football Hall of Fame, which has been closed since mid-March after never previously being closed for two consecutive days, will reopen Wednesday.
Hall of Fame president and CEO David Baker said Monday that it has taken "quite the overhaul'' to get the Canton, Ohio, museum ready for visitors. The Hall has been cleared by state and local officials in the state for reopening. Due to restrictions with the coronavirus pandemic, the Hall of Fame has been closed since March 16.
"We have had quite the overhaul here in terms of directional signage, physical distancing, plexiglass ... touchless hand sanitizers, all kinds of procedures -- taking your temperature when you come in -- the goal has been to get this place open for fans to enjoy,'' Baker said.
Baker also said Monday that the Hall of Fame's board of directors will meet June 18 as the Hall maps out its contingency plans for the Class of 2020 enshrinement, currently scheduled for Aug. 8, and the Centennial Class enshrinement, currently scheduled for Sept. 18. The Centennial Class was selected as part of the NFL's 100th season in 2019.
"Our plan has been to be prepared and move forward as if we will have the enshrinement (in August), but at the same time be prepared for whatever contingency may come up,'' Baker said. " ... But they will be determined by healthcare protocols, health inspectors here in Ohio, both at the state level and local level, our governor and certainly the NFL.''
Baker said that because the Hall would like to hold the enshrinement ceremonies with fans in attendance, the consideration of and research into "many'' contingency plans has been narrowed to three main options.
• Hold the enshrinement ceremonies as scheduled, Aug. 8 and Sept. 18.
• Hold both the Class of 2020 and centennial enshrinements on Sept. 18.
• Wait until the summer of 2021 for both the Class of 2020 and centennial enshrinements if events with crowds are not permitted in the coming weeks and months.
"Any one of those would be dynamic,'' Baker said.
Baker added that the Hall of Fame has considered having virtual enshrinement events or having the ceremonies without fans in attendance or without the annual parade, but he called those "not favored ones.'' He said that, as it stands now, the Hall would prefer to wait until they get clearance from health officials for fans to be able to attend.
"Big point of it is doing it with the friends who got you here, your teammates, the parade that lets us honor the heroes of the game,'' Baker said. " ... And there are a lot of other people in the process. But we're ready to call whatever play needs to be called, but a lot more information is needed.''
The NFL has not yet made a decision about the Hall of Fame Game, which is currently scheduled for Aug. 6 between the Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The five modern-era enshrinees -- Steve Atwater, Isaac Bruce, Steve Hutchinson, Edgerrin James and Troy Polamalu -- are currently scheduled to be enshrined as the Class of 2020 on Aug. 8 along with the three contributors in the Centennial Class (Paul Tagliabue, Steve Sabol and George Young).
Ten seniors enshrinees -- Harold Carmichael, Jimbo Covert, Bobby Dillon, Cliff Harris, Winston Hill, Alex Karras, Donnie Shell, Duke Slater, Mac Speedie and Ed Sprinkle -- in the Centennial Class are scheduled for the Sept. 18 ceremony.