Update: Fans Allowed At Kalamazoo Central Vs Battle Creek Central
Just last week news came out that officials between both Kalamazoo Public Schools and Battle Creek Public Schools agreed to play their boys and girls basketball games without fans due to safety issues in the past. Now, this week, things have changed again, for the benefit of the fans but at the cost of others.
This week word came out that the officials from the two entities decided that for Thursday's basketball game between Kalamazoo Central and Battle Creek Central would be allowed to have a limited number of fans in attendance. This comes after last week's matchup between Loy Norrix and Battle Creek Central had absolutely no fans in attendance.
Tomorrow's game will take place at Kalamazoo Central with the varsity girls playing at 4:15 p.m. and the varsity boys taking the floor at 5:45 p.m. Each player is given four tickets to give to family, friends, significant others, or anyone else they would want to attend. This policy will be in effect later this season when both Loy Norrix and Kalamazoo Central travel to Battle Creek.
Although the news has been out for a little over 24 hours there isn't much of a reaction from the Loy Norrix parents who missed out on their children playing against the bearcats from Battle Creek Central last Thursday. Maybe they haven't seen it yet or they are just taking the L and moving on.
My main question is why limited spectatorship wasn't the original decision that was made so that parents, friends, and other loved ones could attend, and the student-athletes wouldn't be competing in an empty gym? Also, is there any way they can keep the "troublemakers" away from the game and how will the two districts answer to complaining parents?
Nonetheless, both parents and athletes are much happier as they are able to attend the game now and this may become the standard moving forward, forever changing the rivalry that exists between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek.