From the sidelines
By Marty Gordon
The COVID-19 pandemic has definitely changed things in the sports world.
Nothing is more evident than “homegating,” the new form of tailgating at your personal home. I guess for now this is the new norm as fans have been locked out of one of their favorite past times at a Virginia Tech football game.
In September, the town of Blacksburg and Virginia Tech issued the following statement:
“As part of ongoing conversations focused on preserving public health, Virginia Tech and the Town of Blacksburg will prohibit tailgating during the fall season in university and town parking lots and public spaces. This decision applies to football games, as well as all other fall sporting events, including soccer, volleyball, and cross country.”
Instead of tailgating, Hokie football fans were asked to “homegate” with members of their family or pods to safely watch each game.
“Football weekends and tailgate gatherings are cherished traditions for Virginia Tech and our community,” said Virginia Tech President Tim Sands. “I appreciate the input and support of athletic director Whit Babcock and community leaders as we came to this difficult conclusion. Though it is disappointing for all of us as we look forward to fall football, protecting public health remains our primary goal, and the foundation of the decisions we make.”
Virginia Tech will continue to monitor all parking lots on game day. Virginia Tech Police will inform anyone seeking to hold a tailgate that it is currently prohibited and are prepared to enforce this decision if individuals choose not to comply.
Town officials say that they, too, will enforce ordinances put in place in response to the pandemic that restrict gatherings of people, especially events in which participants are not wearing a mask or are not physically distant from others.
“It’s so important for the town and the university to work together on this because we both want to protect our communities,” said Leslie Hager-Smith, Blacksburg’s mayor. “Game days are special to our community, too, and we look forward to the time when we can come together again and enjoy Hokie football together. However, the pandemic requires us to make different, difficult decisions to preserve public health.”
“Public gatherings, especially those in which people are not wearing face coverings and are not physically distant, will significantly contribute to the spread of COVID-19,” said Dr. Noelle Bissell, health director of the New River Valley Health District. “Our community has been working diligently to preserve public health, and it is making a difference. This decision, while difficult, will help maintain our progress and prevent future outbreaks.”
This ban covered all fall sports, period.
I drove to campus on the first game weekend. It was a ghost town. Not a soul in sight and no tents nor barbecue grills were set up on the side of the road. It was an eerie feeling. I can’t really describe the feeling that came over me.
In so many ways, I was sad.
Typically, street after street would be filled with the sounds of game day.
But this season is not normal.
I drove to a friend’s house where there were people grilling on the deck and watching the home game from the living room couch. A bit of normalcy you might say or was it? My group of friends turned to the typical cornhole games.
“Home gating” is an odd-twist on established “tailgating.” We can still have our koozies. We can still have the different types of food. We just don’t experience the roar of “Enter Sandman” and being shoulder-to-shoulder with other Hokie fans.
I just hope that next year fans will be able to meet again at a tailgate. For now, we have to be satisfied with homegating.
