By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–Heightened safety concerns in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic have prompted Union City High School officials to further scale back attendance at Tornado home basketball games to begin the season.
After announcing earlier in the month that the overall crowd would number no more than one-third the capacity of Marty Sisco Gymnasium, UCHS administration has made the difficult decision to allow even fewer people at games.
Principal Jacob Cross said each player on both Union City’s girls’ and boys’ teams and the cheerleading squad will be allowed to put the names of four people on a list who will be allowed to purchase game tickets at the gate. Those tickets will cost $6 each.
People with their names placed on the list will be eligible to pay the admission fee or present an already-purchased season basketball pass or an All-Sports ticket to gain entry to a game. Names submitted to the list by student-athletes may change on a game-by-game basis.
Opposing schools will be allowed two names per-player and will pay the $6 admission. UC, like many other schools, is allowing no opposing cheerleaders this season.
Only the front doors to Union City High School will be open for admittance to the contests.
TSSAA and TACA cards will be accepted, as will lifetime passes previously given by the UC Board of Education. Full refunds for season basketball tickets for those not placed on the admission list via a student-athlete will be available at UCHS by seeing Linda Graham. The deadline for receiving refunds is Friday, Dec. 11.
Otherwise, no one will be admitted without their name appearing on the list as submitted by a player or cheerleader.
Cross said the decision was made in reaction to the “uptick” in the number of cases of COVID-19 recently in Obion County.
“We’re trying to give our kids the best opportunity to have a complete season. Being safe, taking precautions and following protocols is a big part of that,” he said.
“In the grand scheme of things, we’d like to be able to open our doors and let all the people who love Union City High School basketball and our student-athletes in. Right now, that’s just not the safest thing and we don’t believe it’s the smartest thing.
“Hopefully, things will improve in time and we can relax some of these restrictions.”
The UCHS principal said the admission guidelines – which will allow around 400 people total in the gymnasium on a given game night – will be in place until the end of the first semester. He said the plan will be reevaluated at the beginning of January.
The Tornado teams have just two home doubleheaders in December – Saturday night against Covington, and Dec. 15 vs. Dresden.
Administration is also looking at the possibility and options of livestreaming the games in the immediate future.