Getting back in the stands
Whitmer, MHSAA clear the way for spectator increase starting Oct. 9
Friday nights are going to feel a littlemore normal in the coming weeks.
Following Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s Executive Order 183 last Friday, the Michigan High School Athletic Association announced on Wednesday that crowd sizes will be growing for sporting events starting Oct. 9.
This change will allow for bands and dance teams, along with more overall spectators, to be present at football games starting inweek 4 of the season.
“It’s going to remove the one participant gets two spectators (policy), that goes out the window,” MHSAA executive directormark Uyl said on a radio appearance on ‘ The Huge Show’ Wednesday.
“Themost significant thing it does for outdoor is it opens up Friday night, at least for the last three regular-season weeks, for schools to include their dance teams, their pom-pon squads, the marching band. It just gives schools somuchmore flexibility to include those student groups that have been traditionally attached to the games.”
The MHSAA released new guidelines for attendance to its member schools as well.
For indoor sport events, the limit is 20 percent of the fixed seating capacity of the venue, with a maximum of 500.
Outdoor events will have a limit of 30 percent of the venue’s fixed seating capacity, with a maximum of 1,000 allowed.
Outdoor events without fixed seating like cross country and golf will be limited to no more than 30 spectators per 1,000 square feet of the facility. That will also cap at 1,000 total attendees.
“No longer does a player have to pick the two people that go on their list,” Uyl said of the changes. “It just opens things up for families that are a split family, or where grandparents are very involved, or aunts and uncles. They’re going to be able to be included.”
Ticket sales and distribution will be up to each school to decide. In the case of presale tickets, schools will be required for an equal 50- 50 split of tickets between the home and visiting teams.
The expansion of attendees is good news for high school sports fans, butuyl was quick to stress the continued use of masks and social distancing while at the events.
“We’re going to encourage our schools that we really need to do a good job of setting boundaries and expectations, but now for the first time, we can really let some students sections back in,” Uyl said. “We’ve got to socially distance, wear the mask, and do all those things. But finally, our student body can become more involved in games.”
When it comes to the athletes on the field or the court, they must continue to follow Executive Order 180, which requires football, volleyball and soccer players to wear a face covering while competing.