UM President Julio Frenk: ‘No alcohol’ at games. No students at first two (includes FSU).
Many University of Miami football fans are undoubtedly happy that at least 13,000 of them will be allowed to attend the home opener at Hard Rock Stadium against Alabama-Birmingham on Thursday, Sept. 10.
Some might not be happy that they will not be allowed to drink alcohol there all season.
Students? They won’t be permitted to attend the first two UM home games — and that includes the Sept. 26 game against archrival and Atlantic Coast Conference foe Florida State.
In a letter to UM fans on Friday, Miami president Julio Frenk announced that there will be a no-alcohol policy this season in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Frenk also announced that “given that we are barely two weeks into the semester and the number of COVID-19 cases among students has registered recent increases, students will not be permitted to attend the first two home games at Hard Rock Stadium.’’
In Frenk’s letter, the part of the sentence that says “students will not be permitted to attend the first two home games’’ is in bold print.
The other part of the letter in bold print: “...there will be no alcohol.’’
Miami Dolphins CEO Tom Garfinkel said Monday, when he and Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that a limited amount of fans would be permitted at the Dolphins and Canes openers, that alcohol would be sold, as usual, at Dolphins games.
COVID-19 concerns
“Recent announcements that the Atlantic Coast Conference would move forward with competition this fall and that fans would be allowed at Hard Rock Stadium were met with enormous excitement,’’ wrote Frenk, a physician and global health leader who previously served as the Minister of Health in Mexico. “But they have also raised important questions and concerns given the COVID-19 pandemic. Just as I was confident that we could bring students back safely to campus if we were adaptive, data-driven, and careful, I am confident that we can play football with fans in our stadium if we take the appropriate safety precautions to protect ourselves and one another.’’
Frenk then cited how UM athletes have served as an example for the student body, and that recent “repeated rounds’’ of COVID testing among the athletes have “yielded zero positive cases.’’
“With that in mind,’’ Frenk wrote, “today we announce two important decisions, ahead of ticket sales beginning on Monday. The first decision is that there will be no alcohol at Hard Rock Stadium during Miami Hurricanes games. As organizations across South Florida and around the world fight COVID-19, the importance of relying on the experts has become clear. Our community has come too far to ignore the evidence. Alcohol impairs the ability to make rational decisions and has been shown to dampen immunity. We all look forward to the day when we can engage socially at games as we always have, but that day has not yet arrived.
‘Disappointing’ but ‘prudent’
“The second decision,’’ Frenk continued, “is one we will continue to evaluate as the season progresses. However, given that we are barely two weeks into the semester and the number of COVID-19 cases among students has registered recent increases, students will not be permitted to attend the first two home games at Hard Rock Stadium. As disappointing as this is to all of us, especially the students, this is the prudent course of action at this time, as we continue to prioritize health and safety on campus above all else.”
Students, who normally use their “Cane Card’’ identification to get into games, will be unable to do so for at least the first two games. There will be no dedicated student section, as usually is the case. UM did not say how it would enforce the ban or punish those who violate it.
UM athletic director Blake James released a statement of support on social media, saying that “the safety and well-being of all attendees is paramount. We will continue to provide a first-class experience for Hurricanes fans at Hard Rock Stadium, and we will work with our University partners to help coordinate game-day activities for students on campus. We will continue to work with campus leaders and monitor developments and look forward to the day of welcoming back our passionate students to Hard Rock.’’
And more from Frenk: “Stay tuned for announcements regarding gameday activities for students this September. When it comes to COVID-19, it is not enough to expect the worst and hope for the best. We must work together to bring about the best possible scenario. The decisions we make will be based on this premise — whether it is administrators reevaluating student attendance at live games, coaches calling plays, or student-athletes making smart decisions on and off the field.
“Football games are about unity, which — as we’ve learned during this pandemic — is not about being in the same physical location. This season, perhaps more than any other, is about showing what we are made of. Thank you for doing your part to safeguard the proud tradition of Hurricanes football,” concluded Frenk.
▪ Other safety protocols being put in place by Hurricanes for football season.
▪ The ACC announced that the updated Medical Advisory Group Report calls for all team members in football, field hockey, men’s and women’s soccer and volleyball to be tested three times each week beginning with the week of the first competition this fall. One molecular (PCR) test must be administered within three days of the day of competition. In football, one test must be performed the day before competition and another within 48 hours of the conclusion of the game. The test administered the day before competition will be conducted by a third party, selected by the ACC Office.
▪ UM practiced Friday.
This story was originally published August 28, 2020 at 2:07 PM.
