Kyle Griffitts enters LaVell Edwards Stadium before a scrimmage during fall camp. Griffitts spoke out on Twitter on Tuesday, asking BYU and the state of Utah to allow players’ families to attend home games. (BYU Photo)
BYU Football players plead with school and state officials to allow families to attend home games
BYU fullbacks Masen Wake and Kyle Griffitts spoke out on Twitter on Tuesday, asking school and state officials to allow players’ family members to attend home games after it was announced there would be no fans allowed at LaVell Edwards Stadium for the third consecutive week.
“It’s my senior year and I’ll never play again,” Griffitts said in his tweet. “Just let our families come that’s all that we care about.”
Griffitts mentioned a nail expo with “thousands of people” happening in Utah County and suggested families could come to the game and “spread out throughout the stadium” to comply with social distancing.
“Let our families come,” Wake said succinctly as a direct response to the tweet announcing no fans would be allowed at the homecoming game on Oct. 10 against UTSA.
Players also lamented the absence of their families when the announcement was made that there would be no fans ahead of the home opener against Troy on Sept. 26.
Utah Gov. Gary Herbert recorded a video message to the team shortly before the Troy game, addressing the concerns about family members not being allowed.
“I too wish that your moms, dads, families and friends could be there to see you play in LaVell Edwards Stadium,” Herbert said. “I know how disheartening it is to not have them there to cheer you on in person.”
BYU’s press release on Tuesday announcing the extension of the no-fans rule said the decision was based on the current moderate (orange) risk COVID-19 designation for Provo and in an understanding that there will not be a change in the risk designation this week.
“With a continued effort to lower the case count in the community and current trends at BYU improving, the university hopes to have fans in the stadium on Oct. 24 versus Texas State,” the press release read.
