NMPED: Fans can return with prep sports
In what is becoming a growing list of surprising reversals, the New Mexico Public Education Department announced Thursday (March 4) night that spectators will be allowed to attend school-related sports, effective immediately.
The only limitations are those outlined in the state’s public health order that call for the use of its color-coded system to identify the COVID-19 health risks in each county.
“It makes sense to align student athletics with what’s now permissible in the current public health order,” said Public Education Department Secretary Ryan Stewart. “We understand the importance of sports in the lives of our students, families and communities. We encourage participation in sports by students as a healthy outlet and by parents as supportive spectators. At our core we want to keep athletes and families safe.”
For counties classified as yellow, no fans will be permitted for indoor sports such as volleyball or basketball, but up to 25 percent of an outdoor venue’s capacity will be allowed for sports such as soccer, football and others.
Santa Fe County joins nearby counties such as Rio Arriba, San Miguel, Sandoval and Bernalillo in the yellow category, while Los
Alamos, Taos, Mora and Torrance counties are green. The public health order allows green counties up to 50 percent of capacity for outdoor venues and 25 percent for indoor sports.
Turquoise counties can have up to 75 percent for outdoor sports and 33 percent for indoor activities. The state only has four counties categorized in that group, none of which would have an impact on visiting teams from the Santa Fe area.
As for counties still classified as red, or high risk, no spectators of any kind are permitted. That includes McKinley County to the west and Doña Ana, Otero and Eddy in the southern part of the state, an area that is home to larger cities such as Las Cruces, Alamogordo and Carlsbad.
Determining who gets into those venues is up to each individual host school. The New Mexico Activities Association does not have a policy in place that manages the distribution of ticket sales for prospective fan bases. It has historically allowed fans on a firstcome, first-served basis.
“We are so excited about the opportunity to have spectators at some school sporting events,” said NMAA Executive Director Sally Marquez. “We have been working hard with the Governor’s Office, the Public Education Department and the Department of Health to find a way to safely allow fans at the games. We all have something to cheer about.”
Reaction to the education department’s news was swift on social media with prep sports fans hailing it as a victory. Many of them had taken to popular social media platforms to protest the state’s long-held stance that fans were not allowed at high school events.
Capacity levels
Whether fans will be allowed, and at what capacity, depends on a county’s color-coded level for COVID-19 health risks.
Yellow: Up to 25 percent outdoors; none indoors
Green: Up to 50 percent outdoors; up to 25 percent indoors
Turquoise: Up to 75 percent outdoors; 33 percent indoors