School won’t allow fans from outside campus
Hockey, football among the teams most affected by the school’s attendance policy
RPI hockey coach Dave Smith said his team is “very grateful” to be playing again after missing the entire 2020-21 season due to the coronavirus pandemic.
But under current school guidelines, the Engineers will take the ice at Houston Field House without any fans from outside the campus community.
RPI President Shirley Ann Jackson wrote in an Aug. 13 return-to-campus plan that “external spectators won’t be permitted at this time” for the school’s athletic teams because of COVID -19, which is a stricter policy than other local NCAA schools.
Athletic director Lee Mcelroy specified Monday that means only RPI faculty, staff and students will be allowed to attend games, as long as they follow COVID -19 protocols, including vaccination and weekly testing.
RPI hockey opens the regular season at home on Oct. 8 against Bowling Green during a “virtual” reunion and homecoming weekend.
“We’ve talked about it with our players
and understand their disappointment that friends and family that are outside RPI can’t see them play in person here,” Smith said. “Many of us haven’t practiced or played in 18 months together, so our focus has been 100 percent on that. We knew there would be many, I’m doing the finger quotes, ‘distractions’ and ‘obstacles,’ but it would not detract us from practicing and playing with purpose.”
Asked why RPI won’t allow outside fans who have proof of vaccination, Mcelroy said it’s a continuation of RPI’S policy from the last spring semester that does not allow visitors, including families, on campus.
Mcelroy said RPI is not selling any tickets to fans outside the campus community “at this point.”
“I don’t know what would trigger (a change in policy), but obviously our administration would look at the numbers, look at the research, look at the science and then arrive at that decision,” Mcelroy said.
Mcelroy said the news isn’t going over well with athlete’s parents, boosters and other fans.
“The feedback has been that they’re not happy,” Mcelroy said. “And our position is that it’s not just an athletics policy. It’s a universitywide policy. Athletics happens to be a part of that. I’ve been getting them every day since we’re in camp, now our second week of football, the parents that are disenchanted by it . ... But we’re going to respond to all of their concerns and continue to talk with them.”
Mcelroy said the policy doesn’t apply to the Mayor’s Cup game RPI hockey plays against Union on Jan. 29 at Times Union Center, an Albany County facility.
Union College athletics spokesman Steve Sheridan said his school’s intention “is to allow spectators for all home events at this time” while requiring all visitors to wear masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status.
In July, Ualbany announced it will open its athletic venues at full capacity this fall, though masks are required inside all campus buildings. Siena men’s basketball plays its home games at Times Union Center, which is fully open. Siena is requiring fans who attend games on campus to be vaccinated and fill out a spectator screening form prior to arrival.
For now, RPI’S teams will have to get used to the same quiet atmosphere to which the Siena and Ualbany basketball teams and Ualbany football team became accustomed when they played in front of no fans last season.
RPI football went 6-0 at home two years ago before last season was canceled. The Engineers open at home on Sept. 4 against Montclair State at East Campus Stadium.
“This whole thing has been a huge distraction for me, having to deal with the emails and phone calls and text messages from concerned parents, spending a whole lot of time with this and probably a little bit less on the whole football and getting ready for the season,” RPI football coach Ralph Isernia said. “The parents, I think they want to know why other schools are open (to fans) and we’re not. They’re looking for the answers and I think they just want to see their kids play and do it in a safe environment.”