University of Providence Prepares for Athletic Events with No Fans
WHITEFISH, Mont. – The Frontier Conference announced that the conference will continue to adhere to the league’s no-spectator rule for the foreseeable future.
During the conference’s mid-year virtual meetings this week, the Council of Presidents cited the rising cases of COVID-19 throughout the state as the reason for the determination. The presidents will continue to monitor the situation and will assess the no-spectator rule as the season progresses.
The University of Providence athletic department has spent the semester preparing for the possibility of athletic events with no fans, and has come up with several ideas for the community to engage with the Argo athletics. All Argo athletic events will be streamed and can be accessed on www.upargos.com. To enhance the game day atmosphere for Argo student-athletes, cardboard cutouts of fans will be placed in the bleachers. These cutouts will be images of student-athletes, parents, friends, Argo supporters and sponsors, professors, grandparents, etc.
“These will make the games feel less empty,” assistant athletic director Jim Sargent said. “It will hopefully give student-athletes a sense of comfort to see familiar faces in the stands even if they can’t be there in person. We’re doing everything we can to give the best possible experience to our student-athletes given the circumstances.”
Providence will kick off the basketball season on Jan. 4 when both the men’s and women’s teams travel to Butte, Mont. to take on Montana Tech. Their first home game will be on Jan. 9 against Carroll. The Argo volleyball will begin their season on Jan. 29 with a road game against Carroll. Their first home game will be Feb. 5 against Rocky Mountain College. The Argo golf, cross country and track schedules have not been officially released.
If you’re interested in having a cutout of yourself present at Argo home games, please reach out to assistant athletic director Jim Sargent at 406-791-5208 or at jimmy.sargent@uprovidence.edu.
For any questions regarding the conference’s no-spectator policy, please reach out to sports information director Alex Semadeni at 406-791-5845 or at alexander.semadeni@uprovidence.edu.
