All home athletics competitions are now “closed to the public through May 15 or until further notice,” Stanford Athletics announced Wednesday morning.
“Only participants, coaches, working staff, officials, credentialed media, and a very limited number of family members, friends, and guests of the competing teams will be allowed to attend,” the announcement reads.
The closure comes in response to an order issued on Monday by the Santa Clara County Public Health Department banning “mass gatherings” of 1,000 people or more until at least March 31. It also comes a day after Stanford announced that spring quarter classes would be online “until further notice” and asked all undergraduates not to return after spring break.
Stanford is expected to host first- and second-round games of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament from March 20-22 at Maples Pavilion.
On Wednesday afternoon, NCAA President Mark Emmert announced that all upcoming championship tournaments will be conducted “with only essential staff and limited family attendance.”
“If Stanford is allowed to serve as one of 16 host sites for the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship first/second rounds, we would be limited to the updated 1,000 total as mandated by the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department,” wrote Assistant Athletics Director of Communications Brian Risso in an email to The Daily. “Included in this 1,000 total would be the following: official travel party for each institution, pass list for each institution and all working staff, officials and credentialed media.”
Stanford’s baseball, softball, men’s and women’s tennis and track and field teams are among the other teams with home games that will be affected by Stanford Athletics’ announcement.
“We are currently exploring opportunities to enhance our live streaming capabilities so that Cardinal fans can continue to follow the action and support our teams,” the announcement adds.
Ticket purchases will be fully refunded for games now closed to the public, according to Stanford Athletics.
Stanford’s announcement follows cancellation of the Ivy League men’s and women’s basketball postseason tournaments on Tuesday. Spectators are also been banned from the Golden State Warriors’ home games in San Francisco for two weeks, starting Wednesday.
Contact Daniel Wu at dwu21 ‘at’ stanford.edu.