Possibility of a protocol change at Duke remains should the situation with the pandemic improveGETTY IMAGES
The Duke basketball team "won't have its famed, raucous Cameron Crazies in the stands when games begin at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Nov. 25" after the school announced it is "continuing the no spectator policy for athletic events that's already been in place for fall sports," according to Steve Wiseman of the Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER. Duke is "accustomed to playing in an energized atmosphere at their famed arena." The school enters the new season "having sold out its last 472 games at the 9,314-seat Cameron, a streak dating back to Nov. 26, 1990." Yesterday's announcement "does not mean no spectators will be allowed in Cameron for the entire season." The possibility of a protocol change "remains should the situation with the pandemic improve." But, for now, Duke "will limit attendance to essential game management personnel and media members involved in the game broadcast, like television and radio play-by-play teams" (Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER, 11/11). ACC Network’s Mark Packer said of an empty Cameron Indoor Stadium, "I can’t even close my eyes and try to pretend what that will look and sound like.” Packer: “No fans for a Duke basketball game, no ‘Crazies,’ that’s nuts.” ACC Network’s Wes Durham said not having fans is “like cold water in the face early in the morning." Durham: "It just kind of stuns you, and I get it.” Packer: “The environments are all part of the fabric that we love about college sports. ... I can’t think of one that would be more stark than Cameron Indoor empty for a basketball game" ("Packer & Durham," ACC Network, 11/11).
TOUGH PROPOSITION: In Omaha, Jon Nyatawa reported Creighton will begin the '20-21 season "without fans at its men's basketball home games, and its athletic department is preparing for a possible $12 million revenue loss if that decision cannot be revisited." Athletic department officials "have been in regular communication with the Metropolitan Entertainment and Convention Authority since the summer in the wake of the pandemic, meeting almost weekly to brainstorm ways to create a safe environment for players on the court while fans cheer them on from the stands." Creighton AD Bruce Rasmussen said the school does "have options, but now is not the time to implement those plans." Nearly half of the athletic department's $26M of revenue for FY '19-20 "came from men's basketball ticket sales [$5M], donations [$5M] and in-arena sponsorships [$2M]" (OMAHA WORLD-HERALD, 11/10).
LIMITED FANS: In Pittsburgh, Craig Meyer reports Pitt's Petersen Events Center "will play host to a limited capacity of 1,250 spectators per game this season." That number "includes not only fans, but players, coaches, staff, home and visiting team ticket allocations and arena workers." The 1,250 spectators "represent about 10% of the venue's capacity." The school said that it "will be able to accommodate about 350 students, a total that includes members of the band and spirit squads, for men's basketball games." The 200-level of the building -- essentially the arena's upper deck -- "will be closed until seating capacity limits are expanded, if they ever are" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 11/11).
SWITCHING PLANS: Syracuse officials said that the school "will move away from season tickets for the upcoming basketball season as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic." In Syracuse, Mike Waters notes school officials are "hoping to adopt a single-game ticket model for the 2020-21 men's and women's basketball seasons." Currently, N.Y. guidelines regarding the coronavirus "do not allow for fans in attendance at college or professional sporting events" (Syracuse POST-STANDARD, 11/11).
SIGN OF THE TIMES: In St. Louis, Jeff Gordon writes the college basketball industry is "driving forth into the headwinds of the global pandemic." Athletic departments "need money, so the sport plays on." Gordon: "Expect postponements, cancellations and chaos of partial rosters playing partial schedules." The NCAA "pushed back the start of the season to Nov. 25 in response to the pandemic." Midway into November, programs are "still working to finalize their schedules." Atmosphere is a "huge part of college basketball's allure," but this season there "will be far fewer fans." Gordon: "That's just another sign of the strange times" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 11/11).
