With the onset of Hurricane Joaquin, this week has seen challenging forecasts and tough decision-making for athletic departments along the East Coast. Furman athletic director Mike Buddie called dealing with ensuing weather “the one thing we can’t control” while trying to decide if he should alter the start time of the Paladins’ 7pm football game with South Carolina State. He ultimately opted to keep the original schedule, a decision that proved successful as although attendance was low, the game was played safely on Furman’s artificial turf field.
Athletic departments’ responsibility regarding playing in foul weather is especially relevant this time of year as some of the biggest college athletic tilts coincide with North America’s hurricane season, which runs from June 1st through November 30th. This season is shaping-up to be no different, with multiple big-name football games affected by Hurricane Joaquin. For anyone watching the Notre Dame/Clemson matchup Saturday night, they saw constant rainfall varying between steady and torrential, with persevering fans bundled in ponchos, soaked in the stands. The decision to allow that game to proceed at its original 7:22 pm planned start time had something to do with the installation of a multi-million dollar field drainage system at Clemson’s Memorial Stadium that allowed the playing surface to remain relatively stable and in-tact for the majority of the contest.
Field condition and player safety are inextricably linked but are only a small component of what athletic departments must consider when weighing options regarding hazardous weather. Fan safety as well is a major concern, as parking can be limited, traffic can be treacherous, and weather-related facility malfunctions can put fans in jeopardy. Officials at Clemson on Saturday were forced to consult with the South Carolina Highway Patrol to be sure fans could safely travel to and from the game. That this game even happened is remarkable considering South Carolina was declared in a state of emergency by President Obama on Saturday afternoon.
How athletic departments make judgments regarding weather is certainly an imprecise science and varies from school to school and sport to sport. Football tends to carry more leeway in terms of playing through poor conditions (and some teams and players actually prefer them), while cancellations for baseball and softball can be comparatively quick. The facilities for each sport obviously make a blanket policy regarding cancellation difficult, as artificial turf can be more forgiving in rain than real grass, and indoor sports are, except in rare cases, canceled due to weather.
At the end of the day, however, what must be at the forefront of administrators’ minds is not how mangled a field might get or if money will be lost because a start time moved, but keeping fans and players alike safe from bodily harm. Buddie said as much regarding Saturday: “The one thing that scares the heck out of you with the weather are fans coming to the game and getting home safely, and of course the student-athletes’ safety.” Let’s hope that all administrators are as thoughtful and that this hurricane season is a mild one.
Feature image via NOAA
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