Gamecock Club

South Carolina Athletics Director Ray Tanner has been in close contact with university and SEC officials and working hard on a plan for resuming collegiate sports in the fall.

“We understand there is great speculation regarding football this fall,” he wrote in a May letter to Gamecock Club members. “We remain encouraged with the progress our communities have shown in the fight against COVID-19. We still have a ways to go, but time is on our side.”

A few days later, South Carolina took a big step in that direction when school President Bob Caslen announced that the university will resume on-campus, in-person classes for the fall semester in mid-August. After weeks of planning by an interdisciplinary group led by public health, medical and academic experts from across the university, Caslen outlined strategies for mitigating the effects of COVID-19, including testing for all students, contact tracing, more single-occupancy housing, dining modifications and enhanced social distancing.

The plan also includes a phased-in return of some students, faculty and staff during the summer while regular summer courses continue remotely. This will allow the university to begin implementing key mitigation measures prior to the full return of all students.

“Every step of the way, our top priority is your health, safety and well-being,” Caslen wrote in a letter to students and faculty. “The in-depth, tireless work of the group has given me a new level of understanding and confidence that in-person instruction can safely begin this fall. As we prepare for August, we recognize that we are embarking on a new normal that will demand from each of us a commitment to public health and safety.”

The return of students and reopening of university facilities is the first big step toward the return of athletic activities, including football. Other SEC schools announced similar plans in early May as athletic conferences around the country continue to evaluate how to resume sports under new health and safety precautions.

“The truth of the matter is, the football season is what everyone is most concerned about,” Caslen said during a virtual town hall on May 6. “We’re still in conversation and discussion with both the Southeastern Conference and NCAA. We think the schedule will be determined at that level, not necessarily ours. We’ll have some degree of responsibility for fan attendance and what that fan attendance looks like inside the stadium.”

Tanner continues to meet with SEC officials and athletic directors from other schools on when athletic teams can resume meetings, practice and preseason preparations.

“We remain in lockstep as far as our fall schedule is concerned, not only with football, but the other fall sports as well,” Tanner said during the town hall. “The health and well-being of our students and our studentathletes, our fans and coaches and everyone involved is of paramount importance. Right now, we’re approximately four months away from kickoff, so we still have a little bit of time to answer some questions.”

Head football coach Will Muschamp hopes his team can resume practice and normal activity in July or August. He said his team, which was restricted to just five spring practices and limited offseason workouts, needs about eight weeks of training to be ready for a Sept. 5 kickoff.

“You’ve got to take the assumption guys haven’t done anything and I think it’ll take at least eight weeks to get guys ready to play,” he said May 7 on ESPN. “The whole first month needs to be dedicated to strength and conditioning and us being able to meet with our guys. Then we can ease into training camp.”

When football resumes, it likely will be played before smaller crowds at WilliamsBrice Stadium as Tanner says the university may have to implement social-distancing procedures.

“It is likely that social distancing will be in place at Williams-Brice and other venues,” Tanner said. “We are running models currently to determine what kind of attendance we could have. We’re still excited about the opportunity to have live sport again. There is still some time to answer those questions and we will try to resolve some issues as we move forward.”

To help fans prepare for football, the athletic department postponed its season ticket deadline from April 3 to May 8 and launched a series of payment plans to maximize flexibility. Online seat and parking selection has begun and Tanner said the Gamecock Club is open to working with fans on plans that work for each family.

“We understand that these are trying times and we will do all that we can to answer your questions and work together,” he said.

The university also has a plan for refunds if the season or specific games are canceled.

“Gamecock Club membership provides the fuel that South Carolina Athletics runs on and allows us to support our student-athletes as they excel on and off the playing field,” Tanner said in his letter to fans. “As we continue to prioritize the experience of our student-athletes and their education, the support provided by our Gamecock Club members is more vital than ever and we are thankful for your support.”

For questions or more information, please contact the Gamecock Club at 803-777-4276.