Syracuse, NY – New York Governor Andrew Cuomo seemed to give some bad news to Syracuse sports fans on Tuesday, indicating that games inside the Carrier Dome were unplayable in front of fans.
Cuomo brought up the subject during a powerful conference call and his response was brief, leaving many questions unanswered.
Here was the complete exchange:
Reporter: I have a quick following about college sports and fan attendance because I know there are a lot of SU fans. As of right now, ACC is playing and it looks like Syracuse can at least have conference games inside the Dome. Would fans be allowed to watch those games?
Cuomo College games, Rob, do you have the answer?
Robert Mujica (director of state budget): No, Governor, we are not. At this time, we are still sports activities without fans. So it would be a great social gathering with everyone together in a stadium and it is not yet authorized.
Cuomo Without fan. Then the game can continue. The game may be televised, but not fans.
These are some of the most important questions that remain after that exchange.
How long will this policy last? Will it affect the basketball season?
That’s the million dollar question. Cuomo did not say how long the “no fan” policy would be in effect.
Could fans afford it at the start of the season? October? November?
We just don’t know.
In response to a request for clarity, a state spokesperson indicated that policy will evolve based on the outlook: “The guidelines are developed based on the latest data and advice from public health officials and will be updated over time based on emerging science and information. “
Like many state policies that have been instituted during the pandemic, this approach is likely to last as long as Cuomo and the state determine that it has to. That means it could certainly affect the men’s basketball season. It could also have ended before the end of the football season.
The length of the policy will depend on how well the state and country are mitigating the spread of the coronavirus, as well as advances in treatment.
Can I get a refund for season tickets?
Given the state’s comments and how they’ve been interpreted, Syracuse will likely take a proactive approach and communicate quickly with season ticket holders.
Syracuse had already paused its season ticket update and parking pass process for both soccer and basketball, though it still allows fans to renew or purchase season tickets. The school has been planning a reduced capacity season at Carrier Dome and has been making plans for different densities.
Given the circumstances and public health challenges of a pandemic, it seems like a virtual certainty that the school will allow fans to transfer their money for future entries. The issue of a full refund is an even bigger question, especially since it’s still unclear if fans will be able to enter at any point during the season.
Does this make soccer less likely to be played in the fall?
Power-Five schools like Syracuse derive a substantial amount of their revenue from television, multimedia, and marketing deals in lieu of direct ticket sales, so it’s likely to continue to make financial sense for top schools to try playing in the Fall without the attendance of fans. .
Syracuse received a $ 28.7 million payment from the ACC in 2018-19, most of it due to the league’s television contracts, and the league now has the ACC network for which it is seeking to provide programming.
Still, statements like this, coupled with the spread of the coronavirus across much of the country, increase the chances that universities will try to play soccer in the spring.
The idea of playing in the spring was recently addressed by Clemson in an email to season ticket holders last week asking fans which one was preferable, playing without fans in the fall, or playing with fans who attended. in the spring.
What will be the financial consequences for Syracuse Athletics? Will the programs be cut?
While the one-year financial loss from a season without fans would be substantial, it’s unclear how the school would choose to respond.
Would Syracuse assume that the financial impact is temporary, dig deep into its reserves, and try to keep things relatively complete until the end of the pandemic? Or would the school make substantial cuts to minimize immediate losses?
Ultimately, those options belong to high-level people like the Board of Trustees and Chancellor Kent Syverud.
One of the great fears of athletes and fans of non-income shows is that the shows will shrink. It seems less likely to occur in Syracuse than in most schools.
Several schools have instituted dramatic cost containment measures for the coronavirus, including some that traditionally generate massive incomes. Stanford eliminated 11 athletic programs, one of the main reasons for nervousness among sports without income. The state of Florida reduced staffing within its athletic department.
Syracuse appears to have approached the coronavirus with a more moderate and patient approach. Up to this point, the only measures the athletics department has publicly announced have been voluntary wage cuts for Jim Boeheim, Dino Babers, Quentin Hillsman, John Desko, and Gary Gait. Athletic director John Wildhack recently said the school had had no discussions about court programs.
Unlike Stanford, Syracuse doesn’t have a lot of sports on offer, making program cutbacks less likely. Wildhack has frequently observed that Syracuse’s athletic department staff is small compared to their ACC peers, leaving less fat to cut.
Will Syracuse soccer be at a disadvantage?
Cuomo’s statement comes a day after the University of Texas announced that it plans to play in front of a 50% capacity crowd.
Unless there are support measures implemented by the ACC, there is a chance that Syracuse can play games on the go with fan assistance without receiving any fan benefits at the Carrier Dome.
Banning game fans would certainly be a more difficult political option in football-fanatic and Republican-led states like South Carolina, where Syracuse will face Clemson on October 24.
Another looming question is whether Syracuse athletes traveling to a key state like South Carolina would be subject to quarantine mandates when they return to New York, or whether opponents visiting those states will be subject to those restrictions.
How will Syracuse celebrate the renovation of the carrier dome?
This season was supposed to include Syracuse showing off a modernized carrier dome with a new roof, scoreboard, and sound system.
Unfortunately, building renovations are increasingly likely to be released without the presence of fans.
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