The University of South Carolina Athletics Department announced the men's and women's basketball teams will be playing at Colonial Life Arena this season, albeit with some restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The university has gotten approval from the South Carolina Department of Commerce after the Athletics Department proved it could "satisfactorily demonstrate an ability to comply with federal and state COVID-19 procedures and protocols to the Department of Commerce."
Part of that approval means reduced capacity to the games and a new way of purchasing tickets. Here are the changes:
- Capacity will be reduced to approximately 3,500 available seats per game.
- Tickets will be purchased in ticket pods in groupings of two, four and six seats with approximately six feet of distance between pods.
- Facial coverings will be required for staff and fans at all times and in all areas of the arena, and patrons will also be required to follow the SEC and University fan safety guidelines.
- Pedestrian flow on the concourse, restroom capacity and the way concessions are sold will be altered.
- Also of note, the first five rows of seating around the new court setup will not be available for spectator seating this season.
- Ticket sales will be mobile-only, allowing for reduced contact at points of entry and greater flexibility to make adjustments should scheduling changes arise. The move also provides fans with more control in how they access, transfer, resell or return tickets. Fans will no longer receive a printed ticket booklet or have the option to print at home.
- For the 2020-21 season, doors will open for all games one hour prior to tipoff, and all concessions will be cashless, only accepting debit cards, credit cards and mobile pay options (Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc.) to ensure contactless payment.
- Tickets are tentatively scheduled to go on sale the week of Nov. 9. Details on seat selection, as well as student ticket distribution and parking information, will be announced soon.
Once inside, on the arena floor, the opposing teams will also see a new set-up that is part of the effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Team benches will be moved to the opposite side of the court this season, to allow for social distancing for team personnel, and also on the scorers' table for those positions that are critical for games, such as the official scorer, the scoreboard operator, radio crews and statisticians in addition to several others.
The Athletics Department understands fans may wish to opt out of the season for health reasons and reminds them as part of the "Reinvest for Success" campaign launched on August 10, any season ticket holders who would like a refund of their 2020-21 season tickets and any ticket-related expenses due to fears of COVID-19 can receive one while retaining their right to renew those tickets in 2021-22. Fans are encouraged to contact The Gamecock Club with any questions.
