Cameron Young- Sports Editor
Nature is restoring itself. It has been over 13 months since we last had full crowds attending games and events, yet it seems like it has been 13 years. But, with vaccines being distributed to millions of people in the United States, we are going to start seeing higher percentages of fans back in stadiums. Every state is different, but they all currently have one thing in common: they are all trending in the right direction.
It was a shock of nostalgia last night when we saw a very full crowd attending the live NFL draft. The entire crowd was vaccinated, and in order to be able to attend, they had to show proof of being vaccinated, and masks were mandatory at all times throughout the night. While our nation is still in the process of recovering, it will be interesting to see if stadiums will continue to implement these safety precautions.
Despite whatever criticism having full fans will receive for not prioritizing safety, we have to look back and evaluate whether or not stadiums are handling having fans in a safe manner.. In settings such as the NFL draft, it is hard to argue that the way it was handled is unsafe- not to mention the NFL is a business corporation first. They are going to do what they can to preserve the safety of everybody, but they also are going to make their money if there is an opportunity to do so. Ultimately, it is going to come down on us as individuals to be able to make the decision of whether we want to attend games or not.
We are so close to being able to watch games with full stadiums in the upcoming months. One can only imagine the type of amazing environments that we will all be lucky enough to experience. Before we know it, as long as we stay patient and make the right decisions as fans, everything will be back to normal soon.
Southview Catalyst 