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The Big West Board of Directors said on Thursday it will permit conference members, including the University of Hawaii, “institutional discretion” in whether to bring back fans to spring sports events.
Men’s volleyball, softball and baseball are among the spring sports where UH has traditionally had seating for fans. Opening up would be subject to local and state health and safety restrictions.
While UH, which opens its Big West baseball season today against Long Beach State at Les Murakami Stadium and softball vs. UC Santa Barbara at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium, has yet to announce what policy it might pursue, in California, where 10 members are located, several schools are moving toward allowing limited fans.
Cal Poly announced it is planning “to allow up to 20% percent of capacity” at all of its venues, which it said would mean 628 fans for baseball events at Baggett Stadium and 200 for softball contests at Bob Janssen Field.
UC Davis said it hopes to have guidelines for fans by the end of the month.
In the fall, Big West directors voted to prohibit spectators at basketball and other sporting events but indicated they would revisit the issue as new data emerged.
The Big West said on Thursday, “As gathering protocols have evolved at a faster pace and vaccines have become more readily available, each Big West institution will now have the freedom to develop attendance policies that may grant fans access to venues on a limited basis as federal, state, local and campus COVID-19 protocols allow.”
