Going to a Sporting Event: Is It Safe?
This is our new weekly pandemic feature: Is It Safe, where we ask you what you’re comfortable with in the age of COVID-19, and what you aren’t. Read our primer to understand the concept. This week: Going to a sporting event.
In the last few weeks, essentially since the start of the college football season, there have been fans in the stands at American sporting events. College football has been the main offender, but half the NFL stadiums are allowing fans, and there will be fans at next week’s World Series in Texas. In my weekly sports column for New York, I wrote about this from a business and ethical standpoint, but in this week’s installment of Is It Safe? I want to look at it from a personal standpoint. What are the arguments for going? What are the arguments against it? Last week, I asked you for your thoughts on the matter. Having read through all of them, these are the best arguments for each side.
PRO
- You’re outside, and the seats are distanced. So far, all the sporting events that have allowed fans, in the United States and elsewhere, have been outdoors. (This may change during basketball season.) It is well-documented that being outdoors is safer right now than being indoors. Also, most stadiums are selling tickets exclusively in bulks of two or four, which makes it easier to keep six feet (or more) of distance…
