WVU image.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — No fans will be allowed to attend basketball games at
the WVU Coliseum in the month of December.
Previously, it was announced
that the Coliseum would welcome 20% capacity. The university says that due to
recent spikes of positive cases and for overall safety precautions from the
COVID-19 pandemic for indoor events, only essential game operations personnel
and families of the players and basketball staffs will be admitted in December.
Expected capacity at home games in January and February will be announced in the
future and determined by local public health conditions at the time.
“To
say that we are disappointed is quite an understatement, but the decision not to
allow spectators in December is the correct one at this time for the safety of
our fans, staff and student-athletes,” Director of Athletics Shane Lyons said.
“The COVID-19 pandemic keeps presenting many challenges, but like I have said in
the past, we need to continue being aggressive in taking appropriate safety
precautions of wearing masks and getting tested so that we can end this
pandemic.
“We have two exciting basketball teams and rest assured that
our goal is to have fans in the Coliseum to watch our men’s and women’s teams
play. Difficult decisions like this one have to be made for the safety of all
involved, and I can’t wait for the day when we can welcome fans back to the
Coliseum to see all the great upgrades that were made over the summer to the
building for its 50th anniversary.”
All WVU men’s and women’s home games
in the month of December will be televised by an ESPN network or
ESPN+.
The No. 11 WVU men’s team (3-0) is scheduled to host Robert Morris
on December 9 and then No. 19 Richmond on December 13. However, Richmond
suspended all team activities Tuesday due to COVID testing results and contact
tracing. The men’s team is also scheduled to host Iowa State on December 18 and
Buffalo on December 29.
The WVU women’s basketball team (2-0) is
scheduled to open their home schedule Thursday against North Alabama.
The
WVU football team played their first two home games in front of families of
players and staff members only before allowing 25% capacity since
October.
West Virginia University…..The West Virginia
University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, in conjunction with
University, local and state officials, has determined that December men’s and
women’s home basketball games will take place without spectators in the WVU
Coliseum.
Previously, a capacity limit for basketball games in the
Coliseum was announced at 20%. However, due to recent spikes of positive cases
and for overall safety precautions from the COVID-19 pandemic for indoor events,
only essential game operations personnel and families of the players and
basketball staffs will be admitted in December. Expected capacity at home games
in January and February will be announced in the future and determined by local
public health conditions at the time.
“To say that we are disappointed is
quite an understatement, but the decision not to allow spectators in December is
the correct one at this time for the safety of our fans, staff and
student-athletes,” Director of Athletics Shane Lyons said. “The COVID-19
pandemic keeps presenting many challenges, but like I have said in the past, we
need to continue being aggressive in taking appropriate safety precautions of
wearing masks and getting tested so that we can end this pandemic.
“We
have two exciting basketball teams and rest assured that our goal is to have
fans in the Coliseum to watch our men’s and women’s teams play. Difficult
decisions like this one have to be made for the safety of all involved, and I
can’t wait for the day when we can welcome fans back to the Coliseum to see all
the great upgrades that were made over the summer to the building for its
50thanniversary.”
Previous season ticket holders and Mountaineer
Athletic Club members who purchased tickets and/or parking for the December home
games will be automatically refunded for the cost of the tickets and/or parking
passes. Order fees are non-refundable. No further action will be required to
receive the refund. The Mountaineer Ticket Office will process the refunds the
week of Dec. 7.
As previously announced, basketball season ticket holders
from last season will maintain ticket priority for next year, regardless of
their purchase status in 2020-21.
All men’s and women’s home basketball
games in December will either be televised on the ESPN family of networks or
streamed through Big 12 Now on ESPN+.