Pac-12 football parents petition to attend games

With the conference’s football season less than a month away, parents of Pac-12 football players organized a petition Monday requesting a plan be put together for them to watch games in person. 

The petition was organized by Sahaja Douglass, the mother of USC sophomore offensive guard Liam Douglass. At the time of publication, the petition had amassed almost 3,000 signatures, with the number growing rapidly. It is addressed to Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott,  Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Mayor Eric Garcetti and governors of states with Pac-12 schools, demanding a feasible plan be developed before the season begins. 

Unlike other Power Five conferences such as the SEC, the Pac-12 emphasized in its return statement that no fans will be allowed to attend games. The SEC, on the other hand, allows each school to decide whether or not fans can enter as long as they follow specific guidelines. 

The petition reads that social distancing at games can easily be accomplished. Most outdoor Pac-12 stadiums can seat between 50,000 to 80,000 people, including the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, which seats 77,500. 

“We believe that this can be done safely in open air stadiums while adhering to Covid-19 safety protocols mandated for businesses,” the petition reads.

The petition also mentions that all recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization, such as wearing masks and checking temperatures, are easy to follow, and that face shields are also readily available at many drug stores. 

“If any safety modifications are needed (i.e., opening an extra entrance or two, or providing hand sanitizers in the bathrooms), there is ample time to put in place whatever is needed to ensure the safety of all,” the petition reads. 

The petition highlights it is “important for the emotional health of the football players in the [Pac-12] — many who are still teens — and their families that family members be allowed to offer traditional support while they play weekly games.”

USC is slated to play past the end of classes this semester, including a game on Thanksgiving weekend. The petition argues that this schedule leads to less family time available for young athletes, and with programs enforcing rapid testing and contact tracing protocols, trips home may not be possible for some players.

“Just as the community at large yearns for the upcoming football games, we yearn to cheer for our boys as we have done every season since they started playing football in the youth leagues,” the petition reads.

As the Nov. 7 start rapidly approaches, the Pac-12 has yet another decision to make.