Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, it's been one of the biggest questions on the minds of Texas high school football fans: can we attend Texas high school football games in 2020?

It's an understandable question. The atmosphere at Texas high school football games is unparalleled, with fans, parents, cheerleaders, drill team members, band members and more piled into stadiums across Texas every Friday night. Yet with Major League Baseball, the NBA, the NHL and most soccer leagues across the world playing in empty stadiums due to coronavirus concerns, Friday nights were destined to look different in 2020.

The answer, like most things in 2020, is complicated.

The UIL announced on July 21 that spectators may attend Texas high school football games up to 50 percent stadium capacity, assuming there is appropriate spacing between fans. That means that somewhere like Mesquite Memorial Stadium can host up to 9,700 fans to games, while stadiums like Nicholson Field in Wheeler will be limited to 550 fans. And don't plan on sitting right next to your friends: the UIL mandates that distancing measures be in place, and that groups are limited to 10 people. Expect to see every other row blocked off, with six feet of distance between groups.

But that is the maximum allowed by the UIL — there could be fewer fans allowed at certain stadiums due to local orders, be they from the county, city or school district.

One thing that is for certain: all fans will be required to wear a mask or face covering while at the game, in accordance with Gov. Greg Abbott's executive order.

The limited capacity has already changed the way many schools are approaching the season. Ector County ISD — home of Odessa Permian and Odessa High — announced it will not sell season tickets and only allow general admission. Same thing for places like Allen — the state's largest school, with an enrollment over 6,900, and a stadium that seats 18,000 fans — and Tomball ISD in the Houston area, which fields teams from Tomball and Tomball Memorial.

Another quirk of the UIL's spectator guidelines: spectators will be required to be at least 10 feet away from the wind section of the marching band in the stands.

The good news for those who can't make it out to the stadium, whether by choice or not: the UIL will allow televised Friday night games for the first time in 2020, lifting its longtime ban and allowing fans to get their TXHSFB fix without leaving their couch.

All told, the 2020 Texas high school football season is sure to look different, both on the field and in the stands.