Major League Baseball starts Thursday night without fans in the stands. And no spitting sunflower seeds, either.
The NBA season resumes July 30 at its bubble in Orlando, Fla., without any fannies in the seats. Golf? No fans either.
College football will try to play with reduced capacity. Twenty percent at Memorial Stadium, spread far and wide in a building that seats 60,670.
It’s going to be weird. And quiet.
But the alternative — no football — is much, much worse.
If the games can be played safely amid the coronavirus pandemic, we will quickly get over the weirdness. Soon, we will forget we don’t hear crowd noise and concentrate on the game.
That’s what the players do. They focus on the task at hand and don’t really pay attention to what happens beyond the field.
The officials will certainly like it better. A lot fewer people to question their eyes and judgment.
College fall sports that compete outside — football, soccer, cross-country here at Illinois — will be able to play in front of an audience. At least, as the guidelines stand today.
Rules will be in place, with masks required and social distancing always a must. We have had months to get used to the new normal.
But one fall sport faces a venue problem. Volleyball has been a huge hit at Illinois, both record-wise and in terms of popularity. Fans have filled Huff Hall for years.
Last season, Illinois was eighth nationally in volleyball attendance, averaging 3,000 fans per match.
Big Ten volleyball is blessed with loyal fan bases. Six of the top eight programs in attendance represent the league. Spikes and sets are a big deal in the Big Ten.
Last week during a COVID-19 briefing, Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman announced the bad news: No fans for Illini volleyball this season.
You could hear the air being let out of the ball. A real bummer for the thousands who attend each match.
Of course, the fans are disappointed. They will still be able to follow the team during televised matches and during radio coverage on WDWS 1400-AM (thanks, Tim Ditman).
But no matter how good the media work is, it won’t be the same as being there.
Volleyball is a sport that thrives off the energy of the crowd, which can help fuel a comeback from a 2-0 deficit.
Until this year.
Bing, I’ve got an ideaThe light bulb went off in my head almost the second Whitman mentioned volleyball’s situation.
How about volleyball plays a match or two or 10 outside?
Plenty of room exists to put down a court at Memorial Stadium. The home of Red Grange, Dick Butkus and Dana Howard has hosted wrestling matches and a basketball scrimmage in the past.
The school can bring in a portable court, net and all. Depending where it is placed, you can put fans in the stands without violating any social distancing guidelines.
Champaign’s Jane Quinlan is all for it.
Quinlan is the current president of the Illini Networkers, the program’s booster group.
“I think the volleyball fans, Networkers for sure, will go anywhere to follow the team,” Quinlan said. “If there is a way for us to see them, we’ll be there.
“The fans are anxious for there to be a season and want to support the team in any way we can.”
Outdoor volleyball wouldn’t be easy. First, we have this thing in East Central Illinois called wind. Which seems to blow the hardest when you don’t want it to.
Imagine a player getting ready to smash the ball, only to have a strong gust move it off course.
But both teams would have to deal with the weather and will adjust accordingly.
Second problem: We have our fair share of fall rain in C-U. I like to call them gully washers. Players won’t be safe if the court gets wet.
Certainly, one of the clever engineers at the prestigious school can come up with a giant, see-through tent that will help if it rains.
It’s a minor obstacle at best.
Think outside the box
It might be one of my least-favorite terms. Along with “trust the process.” Yuck.
But in volleyball’s case, thinking outside the box is a must.
The Networkers president gets it.
“I think you’re being really creative in trying to think of some other ways to do this,” Quinlan said.
Quinlan, who earned advanced degrees from the school, has been an Illinois volleyball fan for decades. She attends the matches with her husband, Rod Kingston.
The outdoor match wouldn’t have to be at Memorial Stadium. All you really need is an open, outdoor space with stands in place or the ability to quickly add seats.
Illinois Field and Eichelberger Field work just fine. Or rope off one of the runways at Willard.
Hopefully soon, volleyball will be able to have fans inside. But it might not be until there is a COVID-19 vaccine or an effective treatment.
Right now, safety is the top concern. For the players, coaches and fans. We know wearing masks and staying apart helps.
Hosting a match or two outside won’t eliminate the disappointment. It will give the loyal volleyball fans a chance to say “We are with you” and “Can’t wait to stuff Huff again.”
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Asmussen | Hey volleyball fans, do I have an idea for you - Champaign/Urbana News-Gazette
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