When will athletes and fans be back at Koch Arena? Answers from Wichita State’s AD
Wichita State athletes who remain in the Wichita area this summer were allowed back on campus for voluntary workouts starting this week.
In order to use WSU’s facilities or work out with a strength and conditioning coach, athletes had to first call ahead to make an appointment and then fill out a questionnaire to address concerns about COVID-19. WSU is limiting the number of athletes who can be in the facility at one time.
It’s the first of many things that have to happen for college athletics to return this fall, which Wichita State athletic director Darron Boatright said is the mindset his athletic department is operating under right now.
“It’s a waiting game still, but we have to prepare as if everything is going to go off as planned,” Boatright said. “Not having football, we have a little additional time for spectator sports at home events and we’ll take advantage of that. We’ll be watching to see what happens around the country and try to learn what to do and learn what not to do from others.”
The problem facing WSU is that its athletic department’s money-maker, men’s basketball, starts right when many around the country are bracing for a spike in coronavirus cases. Universities all over, WSU included, have already prepared for this with hybrid schedules that will feature no fall break, an extended Thanksgiving break and online-only classes after Thanksgiving.
Boatright said WSU hopes that fans will be able to attend men’s basketball games at Koch Arena this winter, but it is too early to tell what the health guidelines might be in November.
“We plan and hope to, but we also will have to follow all of the state, county and city guidelines as well,” Boatright said. “I think during this time we have to plan like everything is still going to go on and then be ready to make adjustments after that.”
The thought of more than 10,000 fans packed into Koch Arena seems unlikely if coronavirus cases pick up, but could there be a scenario where WSU allows a limited number of fans into games? Maybe half of capacity, around 5,000?
“We have definitely had conversations, but we’re not at a point yet where we feel like we have to make a decision on those,” Boatright said. “I think departments everywhere in the country are having these same conversations. We’re meeting regularly with our staff on Zoom and those conversations are ongoing. I feel like the uncertainty is getting a little clearer. It feels like there’s a little more positive synergy, but we’re just not at a point where we can make a call on that yet.”
Another pressing question for WSU is when basketball players will be able to compete in organized team activities. Almost every basketball player is still in their hometown awaiting official word from the NCAA on when they can return for workouts with their coaching staff.
Boatright said it’s still unclear on when that might happen, but the prevailing hope around the American Athletic Conference is that summer access for coaches would begin sometime in July.
When all athletes do get the go-ahead from the NCAA to return to campus, Boatright said WSU will not be blanket testing for COVID-19 on athletes. They will be required to fill out detailed questionnaires and monitored daily to determine if that athlete needs testing or to be quarantined for a period of time.
The American has left testing requirements and return-to-campus plans up to each individual school since the conference is so spread out across the country.
Boatright said WSU, the only basketball-only member of the conference, has remained financially stable through the coronavirus pandemic thus far, but that could change depending on what happens this winter with basketball season.
“I think we’re in a good place right now up until the fiscal year ends on June 30,” Boatright said. “When we get to that next fiscal year, that’s when it will have the most significant impact on us. Because we don’t know from a revenue standpoint how much this is going to affect us completely. We’re working on finishing strong these next four weeks, but our focus has been on the fiscal year 21 for a while now.”
.jpg)