Play football in the fall without fans in attendance or allow fans in the stadium for games next spring?
That question — framed as a worst-case scenario — was among 23 queries posed in a Clemson Athletics Fan Outlook Survey that was delivered Thursday via email to 2020 season-ticket holders, according to the Greenville News.
The goal of the confidential five-minute survey is to solicit answers and comments from fans about the impact of COVID-19 as well as a glimpse into their decision-making and needs for the future.
“Why do it without fans?” said Dennis Wilson, a Clemson graduate and season-ticket holder from Highlands, N.C. “I’m 50 years into this and I love Clemson football, but I have to be realistic.
“The athletic department is trying to figure out what to do. Sounds like they are trying to please everybody, but they won’t be able to do that.”
The survey was circulated among season-ticket holders who also contribute to Clemson's IPTAY fundraising efforts.
“As critical decisions are made in the weeks and months ahead, input from our IPTAY donors and season-ticket holders is an important piece in informing those decisions,” Clemson athletic department spokesperson Jeff Kallin said. “Deliberate and careful thought was put into the creation of the survey, which captures a set of beliefs during a select period of time. We will continue to evaluate a number of options related to stadium capacity, parking and ticketing.”
As the News reported, fans also were asked to:
- Rate their comfort level of attending games at Memorial Stadium by month (September, October, November);
- Willingness to tailgate this fall if they did not have tickets to the game;
- Share primary reasons they might not attend games this fall;
- What expectations they have in regard to hand sanitizer stations, physical distancing, and face coverings and gloves for staff, as well as food and beverages at concession stands;
- Indicate their comfort level with game-day traditions, tailgating, visiting Tiger Tailgate Show area, gathering at the Paw at game’s end, and riding buses from Newspring/Seneca Creek Meadows to transit hub;
- Rate their willingness to change tailgate plans, do without tailgating, modify traditions, select and request seats to accommodate physical distancing, sit next to someone you do not know, and transfer or sell tickets to others who can attend if you can’t.
Both the composition and duration of Clemson’s 2020 football schedule remains in question as the COVID-19 pandemic persists.
