Duke To Play Without Fans For Upcoming College Basketball Season Due To Coronavirus

Duke University announced Tuesday that it would not have its renowned fans in the stands for men’s and women’s basketball home games at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The decision comes amid the safety challenges of large gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic.

“As Duke University continues to be an industry leader per providing a safe environment for intercollegiate athletic competition, the decision to maintain our non-spectator protocol is imperative for the overall health and safety of the Blue Devil fan base, student-athletes, coaches and support staff, notwithstanding the immediate campus population comprised of students, faculty, and staff,” athletic director Kevin White said in a release, according to ESPN. 

“We will continue to embrace the challenges of this unique if not unprecedented time with flexibility and compliance, and can’t begin to thank our dedicated, passionate fans enough for their unbridled support.”

The university will limit attendance to essential personnel and members of the media involved in broadcasting games. 

The Blue Devils players are used to playing in front of an animated crowd, known as the  Cameron Crazies. According to the Charlotte Observer, the ACC is allowing the team to use artificial crowd noise. The team used it in a practice scrimmage last week, and the players said it helped some. 

The announcement about the fans followed the release of the 2020-21 season schedule. 

This year’s college basketball season is set to begin on November 25. Multiple programs nationwide have not finalized their schedules or made plans for testing due to the virus.