Pac-12 extends ban on fans at games indefinitely

Several Arizona Wildcats teams start their seasons within the next month but, as of now, their games will not have fans in attendance.

The Pac-12 announced this week that it has extended its ban on fans at all sporting events indefinitely. It was originally set to expire on Jan. 1.

“In light of the continued negative COVID-19 trendlines in Pac-12 communities and in the interest of health and safety, it has made the decision to extend the current prohibition on fan attendance at Pac-12 sport competitions taking place on Pac-12 campuses past January 1 and until further notice,” the conference said in a statement. “Student-athlete families will continue be permitted to attend sport competitions if and to the extent allowed by local public health and campus authorities and in accordance with NCAA guidelines. Each Pac-12 member school will determine its family member attendance policies on these bases.”

At first, Arizona was allowing student-athletes’ families into games, but decided against that around Thanksgiving, citing the spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Pima County.

Arizona volleyball season starts Jan. 22 while soccer, softball and baseball start in February. Men’s and women’s basketball have home games through early March.