Dixie State to allow limited fans at basketball games

Dixie State men's basketball loses to Providence (Montana) 80-76, St. George, Utah, Nov. 16, 2019 | Photo by Ryne Williams, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — There will be fans at Burns Arena when Dixie State basketball makes its Division I debut.

DSU announced a series of safety protocols to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 while still permitting fans to attend one of the school’s premier athletic offerings. The announcement comes amid a shutdown of most high school athletics entirely across the state of Utah.

Not only will the Trailblazers play, but they will have as many as 1,000 fans in the seats.

“As we continue to navigate the daily fluctuations and disruptions this virus has imposed upon us since March, we are thrilled to simply have the opportunity to play games and have some fans in attendance,” said DSU Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Jason Boothe.

However, the news may not prove as exciting for general population Dixie State athletics fans.

The protocols will only accommodate less than a quarter of the arena’s total capacity of 5,000 seats and 4,779 permanent seats. As a result, single game tickets will not be available.

The list of people who can get in is limited:

  • Season ticket holders
  • Trailblazer Club members
  • Player families and guests (including visiting team)
  • DSU students

Tickets will first be assigned among ticket holders, club members and guests with the remaining tickets being allocated to students until the capacity limit is reached.

The release states that spectators will be spread out across the arena with at least 6 feet between groups and that masks will be required at all times. Additional local, state, federal, and Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

Other restrictions including cordoning off the floor by 12 feet, limiting floor access and designating specific entrances and exits. Concession availability has also not yet been determined, with a hope that they will be sold in-stadium.

Season tickets remain available for purchase. Dixie State has not yet determined how many season tickets it will make available. Games will also be available for stream through the Western Athletic Conference’s digital network, as well as the school’s website and on the radio.

The news comes five days after Southern Utah University announced it would not allow fans through at least December.

After the virus pandemic delayed the school’s transition to Division I, it finally began competition as a member of the Western Athletic Conference on Nov. 7 in the BYU Dual swim meet, where the Trailblazers earned their first award in their new conference. Dixie State begins its basketball season on Nov. 28 with a men’s match against Weber State. The women’s season begins on Dec. 1 against BYU, also at home.

The Trailblazer home basketball schedules through December are as follows:

Women’s upcoming home schedule:

  • Dec. 1 vs. BYU
  • Dec. 9 vs. Saint Katherine
  • Dec. 12 vs. Park University

Men’s upcoming home schedule: 

  • Nov. 28 vs. Weber State
  • Dec. 5 vs. Saint Katherine
  • Dec. 19 vs. Sagu American Indian College

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2020, all rights reserved.

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