No plan to require masks at Ross-Ade Stadium

Even with a surge in COVID-19 infections across the nation that has caused Purdue to institute another mask mandate for all indoor activities, athletic director Mike Bobinski says Ross-Ade Stadium will be not be impacted.

“As we evaluate today, outdoor events are presumed to be able to operate without masking required,” Bobinski told GoldandBlack.com. “I'd like to believe that will stay the course.”

Purdue announced a mask mandate for all indoor spaces for students, employees and visitors, regardless of vaccination status, that went into effect on Aug. 2.

“I think there's been lots of studies that show that it's not as much of a risk environment when you're outdoors in the open air, so we feel good about that,” said Bobinski. “We're planning for no masks in Ross-Ade. And we presume that's the way we'll operate.”

There also will be no social distancing in Ross-Ade Stadium, according to Bobinski, as Purdue begins football training camp on Friday. And it’s all systems go on tailgating, as the season opener is Sept. 4 vs. Oregon State in Ross-Ade Stadium.

Purdue has yet to announce a media interview policy. Recently, Vanderbilt announced it will require each media member on campus for an in-person media opportunity to be fully vaccinated (with proof).

“We have not finalized anything along those lines yet,” said Bobinski. “We haven't gotten to that.”

What will Purdue’s indoor mask mandate mean for men’s basketball games in Mackey Arena?

“No need to worry about that now,” said Bobinski. “My hope, and I think everybody's hope, is that recent jump up in activity with the virus regulates itself and works its way down to a manageable level where we can return to full indoor capacity, also. But that's not a decision for today. That'll be dependent on circumstances as they evolve around us here.”

For now, Purdue and Bobinski just want to get through football season.

“Everybody's searching for facts and sort of certainty in this world and that's a hard thing to come by,” said Bobinski. “I think a fact is that the more people are vaccinated, the better chance we have to just go about our business, live lives that are in a way feel like normal to us. So, I'm not trying to make a philosophical or a political statement. It’s a practical statement that vaccines are helpful to all of us having a full experience here. So, we encourage that as strongly as possible.

“What I don't subscribe to is sort of the strategy that I see happening, not just here but even more broadly, is sort of this yo-yo of masks/no masks, open/shut. That's not a winning strategy, that's not going to be the long-term answer to any of this. The reality is the virus is here, we're going to live with it, we have to learn to live with it. And the best way to live with it, I think, is for people to get immunity through vaccinations or otherwise. That's the long-term solution to this.”

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