Schools limiting tickets for sports

Clayton County Schools said late Tuesday it will offer tickets for upcoming sporting events to a limited group of fans.

Members of the softball, volleyball and varsity football teams will get two tickets each for upcoming games that can only be used by family members, the district said. Cheerleaders and coaches will get two tickets for family members as well.

The school system said while the policy eases restrictions it announced last week barring fans from games, it still does not plan to sell general admission tickets. Marching bands also will not perform.

“Our decision to make the local games this week available to a limited audience is based on requests submitted by the families of our players and cheerleaders and feedback from our coaches,” Clayton County Schools Superintendent Morcease Beasley said.

“We will closely monitor all aspects of crowd behavior and responsibility during these contests as a way of determining future actions as they relate to public access to our sporting events,” he said.

The district said the decision impacts three games scheduled for Friday: Jonesboro High School vs. Mount Zion High at Tara Stadium; Riverdale High vs. North Clayton High at Southern Crescent Stadium in Riverdale; and Lovejoy High vs. Mundy’s Mill High at Twelve Oaks Stadium in Hampton.

Face masks for attendees 6 years old and up and social distancing of at least 6 feet between patrons will be required. Concession stands will not be open and fans are encouraged to bring sealed bottles of water.

“We are hopeful that what we will observe this week will make an announcement about the status of future athletic contests by Wednesday ... as we work to bring a sense of ‘normal’ to what has started as amost nontraditional school year,” Beasley said.