DCC TO ALLOW SPECTATORS AT HOME EVENTS
While some schools in the Mon-Dak Conference and around the country are closing their doors to spectators at home events, Dawson Community College is working to allow fans in a limited capacity. Recently, the Dawson County Board of Health approved a plan put forward by DCC to safely allow some fans to watch Buccaneer basketball and volleyball games this spring.
The Toepke Center gym has a capacity of 2,000 fans, but Dawson will limit it to 10% capacity to start the season. The four groups of spectators who will be allowed in for games are students, faculty/staff, Bucs Club members and a few general admission tickets. Students and DCC employees will pick up their tickets on game day. Bucs Club members already have their season tickets, but will be asked to go online on game day to reserve their spot for that single game. Whatever availability is left after those three groups are done, can be claimed online by anyone else who wants to attend a single game. Those that claim the remaining general admission tickets will be asked to pay at the door. No tickets will be sold to walk-up customers who don’t already have a reservation.
DCC will also be doing temperature checks at the door for every person who enters and will require spectators to physically distance and wear facemasks in the gym. The bleachers behind the team benches will not be used so that spectators will not be in close proximity to the athletes, coaches and workers. Surfaces will be sanitized regularly and concessions (if sold) will be modified to follow health guidelines.
Athletic Director Joe Peterson shared his thoughts, “We have pushed hard to try and allow spectators at our games. I think it’s very important for our students to have something to do during the cold winter months and keep them engaged on campus and feeling a part of DCC. There are also staff and faculty at DCC as well as people in the community who really enjoy coming to the games and watching. With so many other things taken away from us over the past year because of this pandemic, maybe coming to a game could provide a tiny bit of normalcy and fun for people. Many of these things are out of our control and these plans could change tomorrow, but I trust that our fans will make good choices and follow the rules so that they can watch all season long. I would hate it if we were told we had to close the doors to spectators.”
The basketball teams will have their first home game on January 23rd vs. Bismarck State College. The volleyball team will have their home opener a week later on January 30th vs. Miles Community College.
