State Board plan to allow fans won’t apply to Boise State
2 min readThe executive director of the Idaho State Board of Education, in consultation with the governor’s office, issued a plan to allow 40% capacity at college athletic events for the remainder of the season. That plan will not apply to Boise State, which is under the jurisdiction of Central District Health.
Idaho loosened restrictions on attendance at indoor athletic events at the state’s public four-year universities on Thursday.
But the new guidelines won’t apply to athletic events held inside Boise State’s ExtraMile Arena.
Boise-based Central District Health has an order in place that prohibits large gatherings at events such as concerts and sporting events. Gatherings of 50 or more people, both public and private, are prohibited. Those limits are still in place, a CDH spokesperson said Thursday night, despite a plan released earlier in the day from the executive director of the Idaho State Board of Education, in consultation with the governor’s office.
“With some of the larger venues that intend to have controlled audience sizes, we have worked with them to review their plans to ensure safe measures are in place and provide feedback,” Central District Health said in a statement. “But we do not endorse those plans or gathering sizes that exceed 50.
“We appreciate our communities doing the best they can to follow the order and advisory both still in effect.”
Boise State is currently allowing immediate family members of student-athletes and coaches to attend basketball and gymnastics events at ExtraMile Arena — with a negative COVID-19 test. About six family members took advantage of the opportunity for a BSU women’s basketball game last week, and there were about a dozen fans dotted throughout ExtraMile Arena on Thursday night for the men’s basketball game against UNLV.
Basketball seating capacity at ExtraMile Arena is 12,380. By the State Board’s new guideline, Boise State could allow nearly 5,000 fans in ExtraMile Arena for games.
According to the plan, “institutions may permit up to 40-percent capacity in their facilities, or up to four spectators per student participant, whichever is larger, if physical distancing requirements can be maintained or if masks are worn. The plan is consistent with Idaho Stage 3 Stay Healthy Guidelines.”
The plan does point out that schools would still be responsible for following guidelines put in place by “local jurisdictions,” and Central District Health has that jurisdiction.
“We are working with Central District Health to see what’s possible,” a Boise State spokesperson said Thursday night.
