Raising safety concerns at men’s basketball game

Commerce over common cents 

JAREK MORGAN / ASST. SPORTS EDITOR / THE USD VISTA

The call to support fellow students and student athletes run hand in hand at the University of San Diego — whether in the classroom, on the court, or in the jam packed Jenny Craig Pavilion (JCP). 

There were approximately 4,871 people total in attendance at the Feb. 3 matchup against the new no. 1 team in the country, the Gonzaga University Bulldogs, as reported by Marcy Lanoue, Senior Associate Director of Athletics and Chief Development Officer. 

Historically, the USD vs. Gonzaga game is a joyous event for all fans and spectators, especially notable because of the turnout each time they face one another. However, for this particular game it raised the ire of some who thought that sporting events took precedence over classroom and student safety. As of Feb. 3, classes for undergraduate students were still online. 

The start of the 2022 spring semester began remotely for all USD students and faculty. While students were given a timeline of when they would return to in-person learning, the issue was raised: attending a basketball game to support Torero athletes was in conflict with  the inability to safely return to classroom learning experiences. 

A full week after the game, junior pitcher Ryan Robinson of the USD Baseball team spoke on fellow students’ concerns who were forced to wait to return to campus. Much of the concern arose because the big sporting event had students and fans packed into the stands in the JCP. 

“Seems like the standards and priorities for the university are very mixed up as a student who is paying full time tuition for in-person learning,” Robinson said. “I don’t know. It just made me feel like everything was not falling under the same category consistently.” 

The basketball game was played prior to the return to in-person learning, and many students still thought that having a sporting event before allowing everyone to return to campus was not putting the student experience first.

The university recently released an image that was posted on social media by the @usdtoreros Instagram account which showed a large number of people in attendance at the men’s basketball game. Most notably, the individuals were not adhering to the mask mandate and other COVID protocols that were said to be in place for the game. The mask mandate stated that all personnel in attendance must wear proper facial coverings at all times except while eating or drinking.

Speaking from his experience while in attendance at the event, Robinson recalled  what he saw while supporting his fellow Torero athletes. 

“The university standard for everyone wearing a mask on campus was slightly skewed that night because if you looked around during the game it seemed like not a lot of people were wearing a mask,” Robinson said. 

While students voiced their displeasure over double standards, the administration did their due diligence to make sure they were in adherence to the California Health and Safety Protocols, as well as go above and beyond to ensure the safest game possible for athletes, coaches, students, and all fans in attendance. 

In order to enjoy the game, all spectators had to provide proof of full vaccination status or a negative COVID test within 72 hours prior to attending the game. 

USD Executive Director of Athletics Bill McGillis ensured that additional protocols were put in place for the ultimate safe fan experience. 

“No one was allowed into the arena without proper facial covering upon entrance,” Mcgillis said. “While inside the arena, we could not police every single fan. However, additional security was brought in to help enforce the mask mandate.” 

McGillis listed several key additions that were used during the game. 

“To further express our request of continuing to wear your mask, we provided at least four public addresses from commentators, multiple video announcements, and our scores table was used for a bold image stating ‘wear your mask’,” McGillis said. 

Though the  university may have been disappointed that  some in attendance chose not to comply with the standards that were set forth, the athletic department repeatedly gave critical information about attending the event leading up to the game. 

McGillis spoke in great length about information given to the students prior to the Feb. 3 tip off. 

“Because classrooms were not yet open, we chose not to aggressively promote the game,” McGillis said. “We wanted to be sensitive to the classroom population as well as being sensitive to the community.” 

McGillis offered greater details and accurate information regarding ticket purchasing and programs put in place for the game. 

“We as a department chose to promote how to be there safely, and how to acquire a ticket,” said McGillis. “We also heavily incorporated the “Know Before You Go” campaign to guarantee that all would have complete understanding of what was being required during the game.” 

The “Know Before You Go” campaign emphasizes that students can help protect the health and safety of their friends, family and community members by getting tested and isolating if their tests return positive.

McGillis expressed what was most important to the student athletes and team personnel during the contest. 

“We did no advertising, we sent informational messages and that was that,” McGillis said. “We didn’t feel it was necessary to advertise it. To our staff it didn’t matter to me or the department if the game sold out, we simply wanted to host a good game for the basketball team. Whoever came, we wanted them to have the best experience possible.” 

When conversations are clouded by polarizing opinions, it is important to remember that all are working toward a common goal of safety and happiness for all on campus. 

The USD community, from  athletics to administration, faculty and students, hopes to foster fair-minded individuals who seek to understand, educate, and respect one another. Whether in person or online, we are one student body, united by a contagious Torero spirit.