Attendance policy from JP...

[GrappleCy]

How doesn’t it change things? Few living environments are as dense and social as on-campus residential education.

Higher population density communities that are college campuses most definitely changes things as opposed to those same 18-22 year olds spread throughout the state.

Moreover, if you’re Story County looking to keep things safer here, which is the point, it absolutely changes things.

Everybody also just kind of ignores that it isn't just a bunch of 18-22 year olds that exist in a vacuum. They're going to the same grocery stores as other Ames residents, same Wal-Mart, same Target, same restaurants, etc. It isn't as simple as just saying "Just have them not go visit grandma for a while" when there are a bunch of people in Ames that aren't low risk college kids.

 

[Urbandale2013]

I've seen the tailgating thing and I don't understand the concern over that. There is more social distancing in the parking lot then there is in the stadium. I am rarely within 6 feet of someone that is not part of my group when I am tailgating. Doubly so if they limit it to half capacity.

Tailgating is a not exactly socially distant activity. It encourages social behaviors. It also encourages behaviors like drinking which lower ones thought processes. How many tailgates bring multiple families together? Also how long is someone tailgating? It generally is going to extend exposure times. I also would expect non existent mask wearing. Tailgating generally includes eating and drinking. Those are two activities that don’t lend themselves to masks.

I guess I think I can expose myself to less people and germs by parking and walking in than sitting outside all day with mask-less people.

 

[cycloner29]

Ames High was supposed to have graduation ceremonies in Hilton on 6/21. We go an email Thursday afternoon that due to the spike in cases in Story County that it could get postponed. We got an email from the District that the School Board was to have meeting on Friday to make at determination on it. Well, we got an email Thursday night around 6 telling us it was postponed. Didn't say who made the call but image it was the Story County Board of Health that did.

 

[Sparkplug]

I do know that residential life is looking for places to quarantine students who test positive for corona. .

Is this the year that Oak - Elm was to be shuttered? Could could become Quarantine Central

 

[NorthCyd]

Tailgating is a not exactly socially distant activity. It encourages social behaviors. It also encourages behaviors like drinking which lower ones thought processes. How many tailgates bring multiple families together? Also how long is someone tailgating? It generally is going to extend exposure times. I also would expect non existent mask wearing. Tailgating generally includes eating and drinking. Those are two activities that don’t lend themselves to masks.

I guess I think I can expose myself to less people and germs by parking and walking in than sitting outside all day with mask-less people.

I guess my own experience with tailgating is not the same as others and you may have some points, but I still feel that it has to be up to groups to act responsibly on their own.

If they do outlaw tailgating is it really going to limit people getting together before the game for drinks if that is their goal? They will just meet up at other locations that may potentially be even riskier like a bar. And how do you limit it? You have to at least open up lots a couple hours before games minimum. Is security going to patrol the lots to enforce people hanging out in the lots? Finally, if you feel the risk is too great to allow tailgating then how do you justify even having the game, because you are going to have prolonged exposure with strangers within 6 feet during the game with 100% certainty, and as of now they are saying they are not going to require masks.

 

[Urbandale2013]

I guess my own experience with tailgating is not the same as others and you may have some points, but I still feel that it has to be up to groups to act responsibly on their own.

If they do outlaw tailgating is it really going to limit people getting together before the game for drinks if that is their goal? They will just meet up at other locations that may potentially be even riskier like a bar. And how do you limit it? You have to at least open up lots a couple hours before games minimum. Is security going to patrol the lots to enforce people hanging out in the lots? Finally, if you feel the risk is too great to allow tailgating then how do you justify even having the game, because you are going to have prolonged exposure with strangers within 6 feet during the game with 100% certainty, and as of now they are saying they are not going to require masks.

I anticipate masks will be pretty well used. As someone else said I think the not requiring masks is to prevent fights when some idiot inevitably isn’t wearing theirs.

I also think the stadium will have plenty of open spaces to allow people to stay away from others. I think people uncomfortable will move up to the corners.

I also think this is a case of what part is essential. We are talking about how to get fans to games. I don’t see tailgating as an essential part of that. Even if fans are allowed and tailgating is allowed I just don’t think it happens much this year.

 

[Gibbon]

Opening up tailgating lots allows intermingling of large numbers of people (who for the most part will not be wearing masks) for an extended period of time. Could people tailgate safely to minimize exposure risks? Absolutely, it's outside and there is plenty of parking lot room for most everyone. But we all know that's not going to happen if lots are open. People are going to get drunk, mingle with others, and overall let their guard down to social distancing precautions. And the allure of tailgating itself will attract more people, increasing likelihood of increased spread to other communities. If the stadium is going to be capped at 50% capacity, I don't think Iowa State will need tailgating to draw in the desired crowd size of ~30k.

 

[Cyched]

Tailgating is a not exactly socially distant activity. It encourages social behaviors. It also encourages behaviors like drinking which lower ones thought processes. How many tailgates bring multiple families together? Also how long is someone tailgating? It generally is going to extend exposure times. I also would expect non existent mask wearing. Tailgating generally includes eating and drinking. Those are two activities that don’t lend themselves to masks.

I guess I think I can expose myself to less people and germs by parking and walking in than sitting outside all day with mask-less people.

If I were to pass out in one of the ditches, would I be able to keep my distance?

 

[alarson]

And how do you limit it? You have to at least open up lots a couple hours before games minimum. Is security going to patrol the lots to enforce people hanging out in the lots? .

Jamie did address this one. He'd said they might limit the hours. Instead of opening up at 7am or 6hrs before kickoff, they could cut it down.

If the lots are only open say... 3 hours before kickoff, it removes a lot of the 'event' from tailgating. Not many people are going to want to go through the work of setting up a big tailgate for only an hour or two before the game.

 

[alarson]

I anticipate masks will be pretty well used. As someone else said I think the not requiring masks is to prevent fights when some idiot inevitably isn’t wearing theirs.

They could still require them to be worn upon entry. Yes, some may take them off after getting in and that would be more difficult to police, but i'd bet if you require them on your face to enter the stadium it would increase usage while actually there.

Also, in more cramped areas of the stadium, like the Jack Trice Club, i dont see how they could not require usage there. That area is wall to wall with people during games.

 

[ImJustKCClone]

If we don't have a football season this fall, Cyclone Fanatic might not make it financially.

Oh, CF will survive financially. I'm worried about the mental health of many of the posters, though...

 

[dahliaclone]

Breaking up here in MPLS...

https://www.startribune.com/virus-closes-u-s-bank-stadium-for-20-except-for-maybe-vikings/571420842/

 

[exCYtable]

Breaking up here in MPLS...

https://www.startribune.com/virus-closes-u-s-bank-stadium-for-20-except-for-maybe-vikings/571420842/

Seems like a better than 50 percent chance the 2020-21 college and pro sports season is entirely f'd at this point.

 

[Statefan10]

Seems like a better than 50 percent chance the 2020-21 college and pro sports season is entirely f'd at this point.

That percentage is way off

 

[exCYtable]

That percentage is way off

What percentage would you put it at?

 

[Statefan10]

What percentage would you put it at?

I would say the likelihood of the NCAA season happening is above 90%. Fans attending is probably a flip of the coin.

NFL on the other hand is likely 99% a go, with fan attendance still up in the air, but more probable NFL fans are allowed than NCAA fans are allowed.

 

[ImJustKCClone]

I anticipate masks will be pretty well used. As someone else said I think the not requiring masks is to prevent fights when some idiot inevitably isn’t wearing theirs.

I also think the stadium will have plenty of open spaces to allow people to stay away from others. I think people uncomfortable will move up to the corners.

I also think this is a case of what part is essential. We are talking about how to get fans to games. I don’t see tailgating as an essential part of that. Even if fans are allowed and tailgating is allowed I just don’t think it happens much this year.

From what I've seen around Ames and through participation in online forums, I'm not nearly as confident as you that people will wear masks...especially if they have been drinking for several hours first. And even if those of us that are "uncomfortable" move up to the corners, we still have to move through crowds of unmasked people to get to and from our seats and/or use the restroom if necessary. I'm an old lady. If I don't hydrate I'll get heat sickness at the early games. If I DO hydrate, I'll need to use the restroom.

Bottom line, the more discussion I hear/see, the less confident I am that my husband and I will be able to be at the games in person. At this point, my hope for high risk people like us rejoining the human race mostly involves a vaccine.

 

[alarson]

Seems like a better than 50 percent chance the 2020-21 college and pro sports season is entirely f'd at this point.

I still think there's a pretty high chance that games happen without fans, especially for the pros who have more ability to isolate between games.

 

[IcSyU]

For me personally unless something changes cancelling football would be worse for my mental health than I think it would prevent.

You need some damn perspective.

 

[alarson]

You need some damn perspective.

Truth.

It will suck if we don't have it, for sure. But we'll live. For all but the relatively small number of people who make their money from it, its just a game. And while i empathize with those who do have some financial stake in it (like the people who run this website), the rest of us can get over it. We can find something else to do with our time.