Iowa State announces reversal of plans to have fans in the stands for season opener

[heitclone]

This is a bummer but was kind of expected. Things have been rough in the state for the last couple of weeks. I love the idea of being proactive, keeping fans out by our choice rather than something bad happening and us having no say. It opens up the possibility that we could still get fans at some point. While that door is just barely still cracked, reacting after the 13th would have slammed it shut. It seems like an abrupt change but this still goes along with what JP has said along, that we would be constantly evaluating the situation until kickoff.

 

[JM4CY]

Meanwhile in the CF forums:

 

[dunar]

or you can wait and see. I bet there are fans in October.

I'm holding out hope. The email had opt out instructions, but no deadline. I'm still in to attend in person, but if we're still at no fans half way in, that's a premium on the tickets. If they'd gone with the 3 game/25% option, I would have thought longer and harder about deferring to 2021. And the "if you don't defer and we don't allow fans, your ticket purchase becomes a NCC donation" that was in an earlier communication doesn't sit well with me. I can't even deduct that "donation" on my taxes anymore... Maybe I should defer and put that money toward a huge TV? Or they could pro-rate tickets to the number of games we actually get to attend and apply the leftover monies to 2021, I would be OK with that.

 

[cycloneG]

Outdoors, with masks. I'd like to see the long list of medical experts speaking out against large gatherings in outdoor areas over the last 2 months.

"Dr. John Paschen, the chair of the Story County Board of Health, decried the original decision by Iowa State as "irresponsible" on Monday."

Iowa State reverses course and will not allow fans at football season opener

Iowa State originally was to allow for 25,000 fans at its season opener, but the school changed its mind after criticism.

www.usatoday.com

 

[awd4cy]

Don't kid yourself. The Karens of the world would have been out in full force at even 25%. You can never appease a mob.

Yea it’s hilarious to me how much issue some had with that extra 15%. Which was probably going to be closer to 10% after a few more opting out. In reality those unhappy really just want no fans at all and not game played because it’s where they stand politically.

 

[jmb]

It’s incompetent because if you announce a plan to be a leader you should expect blowback. If you weren’t confident enough in your plan to withstand the blowback you shouldn’t have made it in the first place. We are going to get killed for both sides now for completely flip flopping.

Easy to say when you don't have an entire country watching your every move.

 

[jsb]

Don't kid yourself. The Karens of the world would have been out in full force at even 25%. You can never appease a mob.

of course. But they would have reason to stick with their decision.

we were allowing a higher % of fans than anyone. By quite a bit. In a state with numbers that are going up.

 

[jsb]

Yea it’s hilarious to me how much issue some had with that extra 15%. Which was probably going to be closer to 10% opting out. In reality those unhappy really just want no fans at all because it’s where they stand politically.

i bet most that were going to opt out had opted out before Monday.

 

[BCoffClone125]

I applaud Wintersteen for reversing course on this. For those saying this is poor leadership, do you prefer leaders who stubbornly won't change their mind or those who own up to their errors and are willing to change? Seems like an obvious answer to me.

If you want to see a poor example of leadership, look at the Big 10 right now. They are too stubborn and proud to admit that they may have jumped the gun on cancelling the season and did a horrible job of being transparent and communicating why they made their decisions.

 

[ArgentCy]

Yea it’s hilarious to me how much issue some had with that extra 15%. Which was probably going to be closer to 10% after a few more opting out. In reality those unhappy really just want no fans at all and not game played because it’s where they stand politically.

It's not about these arbitrary numbers. What these people can't have is people who don't follow the crowd. They don't want anyone to stand out and make even a slightly different decision. It's all about obedience.

 

[alarson]

In reality those unhappy really just want no fans at all and not game played because it’s where they stand politically.

Projection.

 

[jsb]

I'm holding out hope. The email had opt out instructions, but no deadline. I'm still in to attend in person, but if we're still at no fans half way in, that's a premium on the tickets. If they'd gone with the 3 game/25% option, I would have thought longer and harder about differing to 2021. And the "if you don't differ and we don't allow fans, your ticket purchase becomes a NCC donation" that was in an earlier communication doesn't sit well with me. I can't even deduct that "donation" on my taxes anymore... Maybe I should differ and put that money toward a huge TV? Or they could pro-rate tickets to the number of games we actually get to attend and apply the leftover monies to 2021, I would be OK with that.

Kansas is offering a receipt saying you receive no benefits if you donate you opt out. I bet Iowa State would do the same thing.

how many people attend every game anyway. I’m going suck this one up and hope for 10-3.

 

[Sparkplug]

So season refund then?

That ties in with my question. If I do not opt-out but keep my 2020 tickets, will my account be credited for the games without fans?

 

[tyler24]

Which, from a PR perspective, was still a poor move IMO. Had they been at 25%, with 7 other teams in the big 12 also at 25%, there's a lot less pushback and they probably get away with that. When they came out with 40% though, they were put in a place where if they made a change it was going to be to zero. They gambled big and lost.

Was it? We know Pollard likes to be the center of attention and is always pushing for more. Why not go big and if you get push back, you get push back? It's not like they had a bad plan in place. As long as nobody died, they can go backwards. To me, this adds confidence in our athletic department. It says, we will take risks and push limits, but if we go too far, we will own up.

 

[3TrueFans]

Are there other programs in the country that are opening with crowds >40% of capacity?

 

[jmb]

It's not about these arbitrary numbers. What these people can't have is people who don't follow the crowd. They don't want anyone to stand out and make even a slightly different decision. It's all about obedience.

Link?

 

[clonedude]

Yea it’s hilarious to me how much issue some had with that extra 15%. Which was probably going to be closer to 10% after a few more opting out. In reality those unhappy really just want no fans at all and not game played because it’s where they stand politically.

You do understand that it is not physically possible to social distance, even in groups, with 25k fans in Jack Trice, right?

With 10k you probably could.

The way they had the available seats laid out in that one seating diagram was a complete joke. Not even an open row between fans in some cases, but that's what you have to do if you are allowing 25k in.

 

[awd4cy]

Projection.

Says the guy who does it all the time.

 

[isufbcurt]

Dumb

 

[jsb]

Are there other programs in the country that are opening with crowds >40% of capacity?

not even close.