KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The coronavirus pandemic that brought sports to a standstill for months has everyone wondering what games will be like when spectators are finally allowed back in. It will almost surely be different in ways big and small.

Fans could have their every move scrutinized by cameras and lasers. There might be nobody in the next seat to high-five after a touchdown. The idea of passing cash to a beer vendor between innings will be a memory. Temperature screenings and medical checks could be mandatory. Virtual tickets will be the norm.

It all begs the question: Will fans even be able to enjoy the experience again?

“There’s a wealth of unanticipated casualties, I guess, that are going to be part of this, things we all took for granted as part of the live game-day experience,” explained Nate Appleman, director of the sports, recreation and entertainment practice for Kansas City-based architectural firm HOK. “Some things we have yet to fathom but will become painfully clear once we are allowed back into venues and get back to truly human nature, which is to gather and celebrate community.”

Some leagues are returning with few or no fans, including soccer in Germany, stock car racing in the U.S. and baseball in Japan. But as sports ramp up, The Associated Press found during interviews with more than two dozen experts in stadium design and infrastructure that the only thing that might look the same is what happens on the field of play.

The biggest short-term change will be social distancing, which already has permeated everyday life. Ticket sales will be capped. Entire rows and sections blocked off. Fans will be given an entrance time to prevent crowding at the gates. Lines at restrooms and concessions will be limited. Congregating in the corridors will no longer be allowed.

“There’s the old saying, ‘Necessity is the mother of invention.’ I would say we’re in a heightened situation of necessity right now,” Appleman said. “There are a lot of really smart people coming up with really cool initiatives that could just be a new way of doing things, and new isn’t always bad. Sometimes change is good.”

Those plans bring both hope and fear: hope that some fans will be able to see their favorite teams in action, and fear that places that rely heavily on ticket sales will be able to make ends meet.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the home of the Falcons and Atlanta United, already has cashless systems in place for merchandise and concessions.

Venue giant ASM Global announced a new hygiene protocol for its 325 facilities worldwide, noting the importance of hewing to health recommendations.