College football fun dampened by COVID-19 risks

Sunday, September 6, 2020

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COMMENTARY

I fully admit: I’m probably one of those people. This college football season, the University of Oklahoma, as well as most other universities around the country that are still trying to play a season, are limiting fan attendance at games, which will greatly reduce the number people in the stands. It’s understandable — we are currently seeing yet another rise in COVID-19 cases — but the gameday experience is going to be strange for those attending in person.

Whenever the discussion of “getting back to normal” comes up, playing sports is generally seen as a major way for that to happen. What I am noticing as we go, however, is that it’s hard to escape the disruptive force of a deadly virus. The NBA has its bubble, and the MLB has cardboard people and teddy bears in the stands (as well as many cancelled games due to positive COVID-19 tests). As we roll into football season, two major conferences have cancelled their seasons for college athletics, and I’m not really sure the NFL even has a plan at all. None of this screams “normal” to me, but hey, I’ll take it, I guess.

I’ll be watching when the games come on — as a few did Saturday — because I genuinely like college football. But I’m also genuinely concerned that the season won’t be able to be completed. My main hope is that everyone stays safe, players and fans alike.