By Tom Seipp, Sports Editor
It’s no secret 2020 has been a year unlike any other. After not having professional sports from March to the end of July, the sports world is finally completely back underway.
The return to watching live sports is something we’ve all missed tremendously, and are glad to have back, but there is still something missing: fans.
We’ve seen a near entirety of an MLB season without a single fan in attendance (of course with the exception of Dr. Anthony Fauci), an NFL season with only limited fans in a handful of stadiums and colleges doing everything they can to allow fans and students on their campuses.
At this point, Americans have an understanding on how to handle the COVID-19. Many know whether or not they’re at high-risk of the virus or not. People know how to handle themselves.
As places and events slowly start to open back up, it’s time to give people the freedom to choose on whether or not they want to attend sporting events.
At Notre Dame University, the Fighting Irish’s football team has experienced a breakout within their locker room. But, they’ve invited roughly 15,000 fans to each game they’ve had so far, allowing students to have first priority. Students have been seen standing together in big groups.
This is a school who had over 700 students test positive since early August.
At Southern Mississippi University, the school sold about 9,500 tickets (25% capacity) for their first game of the season. Fans tickets weren’t designated to a specific seat, but just a section. Those not part of the “same household” were required to space six feet apart in their respective seats. Masks were allowed to be removed once seated.
What’s the point?
At Clemson University, they’ve allowed 19,000 fans to attend. They’ve spaced people out by lining them in rows vertically. When fans look to their left and right, they’re spaced out from others. But if they simply turn around, there are fans right in their face just a row behind.
It makes no sense.
Universities have been trying their best, but they might be trying too hard.
For professional outdoor sports, the NFL is creating unfair advantages by allowing team owners to decide whether or not to allow fans in their stadium. It should be a league-wide decision. That decision should be to allow fans in the stadiums.
Create a COVID-19 waiver that all fans have to sign before being allowed inside stadiums. This will take away the possibility of any league action being taken if fans test positive.
While games might not be sold out immediately, allowing fans to come in at their own risk. If fans are high-risk, they won’t elect to go. Nobody’s grandmas will be in attendance at the Indianapolis Colts vs New York Jets game Sunday.
In Major League Baseball, their COVID-19 protocols, like everything MLB does now, seemingly doesn’t make sense. Keeping fans out of stadiums league-wide is better than leaving it up to respective owners. But, the league has decided to play it’s full season traveling to different cities, now suddenly changing their approach in the playoffs to have the Divisional Series, Championship Series and World Series in “bubbles.”
Again, it makes no sense.
Fans may be allowed in the two stadiums that are hosting the Championship Series, which are both in Texas.
Say the Chicago White Sox and the Cincinnati Reds face off in the World Series, they have to face off in Arlington, Texas, with fans having to travel out-of-state to attend? What is the purpose of that?
Allow fans back in your stadiums, sports owners and universities. It’s time.
