Penn State Athletics Restricts Attendance at Beaver Stadium
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf ruled that fans at outdoor sporting events can be filled to 15% capacity. However, Penn State Athletics made it clear that they will not be having fans in Beaver Stadium this fall.
“We are pleased to be able to accommodate those closest to our football program and enable them to cheer on their family members,” Penn State Athletics stated. “The Big Ten’s guidelines of families only will not permit us to welcome additional fans to Beaver Stadium in 2020.”
David Wasson, a sophomore majoring in landscape architecture, supports the governor's decision.
“I think it’s about time,” Wasson said. “Other places have made that move that have proved that it is safe to do so.”
If fans were allowed into Beaver Stadium to some capacity, Wasson would still be comfortable going as long as there are proper protocols.
“I feel Beaver Stadium is big enough so that even if people did not follow the guidelines of masks and social distancing that I would be spaced out from other people,” Wasson said.
On Thursday, Oct. 8, Pennsylvania saw its highest single day COVID-19 case count since April with 1,421.
“I think that there is concern, generally, that we’re going to see an upsurge as we get into the flu and flu season and colder weather,” Wolf said.
Derek Cestone, a sophomore double majoring in digital art and media design and film and video, is skeptical about Wolf’s decision.
“It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me,” Cestone said. “I don’t know why he’s deciding to do that despite the [rising] cases that we’ve been having recently. I don’t know how much that affects us here in State College, but Pennsylvania as a whole, I could see the [Philadelphia] Eagles have more fans. I’m curious to see how that’s going to affect cases, but I’m not really sure.”
Penn State football’s first game is against the Indiana Hoosiers on Oct. 24 at 3:30 p.m. Penn State’s first home game is against the Ohio State Buckeyes on Oct. 31, but a start time has yet to be determined.
Jacob Cheris is a sophomore majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email jacobcheris19@gmail.com.
