By Maria Ghiasi
Pro and college sports are back at it with live fan attendance even during the ongoing pandemic, though some have strict guidelines requiring vaccinations or masks.
According to Allegiant Stadium’s website, home of the NFL Las Vegas Raiders, all attendees age 12 and older are required to provide proof of vaccination to enter. Fully vaccinated are not required to wear masks.
The T-Mobile Arena does not require proof of vaccination to attend games for Vegas Golden Knights. As noted on its website, “The T-Mobile Arena team has worked with medical experts to develop a plan that allows us to welcome you back. We are committed to the health and safety of our employees and guests.”
There is a mask mandate for all attendees at the T-Mobile Arena. Contactless entry, cashless transactions for food or drinks, and enhanced sanitization of facilities and air quality are in effect.
According to LV Sports Biz’s website, the Vegas Golden Knights is seeing an increase in fan attendance although still lower than previous years before the pandemic. The Oct. 21 article titled “Has the Golden Magic Worn Off? Fans Notice Lots of Empty Seats Toward End of Close VGK-St. Louis Blues Game at T-Mobile Arena Wednesday” stated that 17, 690 people were in attendance though that is actually the lowest attendance since December 2017.
UFC, run by Dana White, has not mandated masks or vaccines. Fans can attend and decide if they want to wear masks. White is not requiring fighters to be vaccinated noted in a September press release.
In April 2021, College of Southern Nevada resumed its sporting events and allowed fans to attend live, though there were mask mandates and upcoming vaccine requirements for indoor sports. The College implemented a vaccine mandate this winter for all students and staff who are on campus.
CSN Head Women’s Soccer Coach Jocelyn Roach is happy to see fans once again. “Last season there were a few games we weren’t allowed to have fans. I really hated it for our players.” Despite resuming games during a crucial time, Roach said she felt safe as did her team. “We were taking all the necessary precautions and I felt we were being very safe. The only thing that I worried about was when we had to travel for games.”
Showing proof of vaccinations to attend live games is controversial. Some CSN students are not in favor while others are.
David Leitzell, CSN student who normally goes to games, isn’t so sure he will attend events because of the mandate to show proof of vaccinations. “My choice would be just not to go. Adults can make their own decisions and choose whether or not they want to attend.”
On the other hand, CSN student and hockey fan Genesis Lopez said, “I want to feel safe when I go out. I have a huge family and my parents are older. I don’t feel we’ve taken this pandemic serious at all. So, if sports organizations and CSN feel they want to help keep fans safe, I don’t see what the problem is.”
Coyote Student News at the College of Southern Nevada 