Syracuse basketball, following its solid road win at N.C. State earlier this week, sits at 11-6 overall and 5-5 in Atlantic Coast Conference competition as the Orange gets set to host Boston College this Saturday afternoon.
Undeniably, the ‘Cuse needs to go on a run to close out the 2020-21 regular season if it wants to have any realistic shot of making the upcoming Big Dance, save for capturing the ACC’s post-season tournament crown.
It’s proven a really weird stanza to date, given the challenges brought on by the novel coronavirus pandemic, and Syracuse basketball has yet to see fans cheer the Orange on inside the Carrier Dome due to Covid-19.
Other college basketball teams around the country have allowed limited numbers of fans to watch their games in-person, as protocols on live attendance vary from state to state.
An announcement this week from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, however, could enable fans to check out the ‘Cuse across several sports in the near future. And even if it’s only a small amount of fans for just a game or two at the onset, it would provide some tiny sense of normalcy at a time when nothing truly seems normal.
Syracuse basketball could have fans in the stands in a few weeks.
Cuomo says that stadiums and arenas throughout New York state that possess capacity of at least 10,000 people, including the Dome, may re-open under certain conditions beginning on Feb. 23.
For these types of venues to re-open, they must follow various rules, including a 10-percent capacity limit, ensuring all staff members and fans have a negative Covid-19 PCR test within 72 hours of a game or event, and mandating face coverings, social distancing and temperature checks for all those who attend.
"Following Cuomo’s decision, SU officials issued their own statement. “Syracuse University continues to seek counsel and support from New York State as we work toward safely reopening the stadium – first to a small group of students, and eventually to more fans from the broader community, public health permitting. At the heart of our reopening plan is safeguarding the health, well-being and safety of the campus and surrounding communities. We appreciate the guidance we have received from New York State Department of Health and the Onondaga County Health Department and look forward to eventually welcoming spectators into the stadium for athletic competitions.”"
Based on Cuomo’s timeline, it looks like fans – exactly how many is unclear – could attend the ‘Cuse men’s basketball affair on March 1 against North Carolina, two women’s hoops contests (Feb. 25 versus Boston College and Feb. 28 against N.C. State), “and the majority of the men’s and women’s lacrosse seasons,” per a report by Chris Carlson of Syracuse.com.
Like I said earlier, even if it’s just a game or two during the current basketball term, that would prove fantastic to have some fans in the stands. So long as everyone stays safe and plays by the rules.