For the final Marquette men’s home basketball game, Fiserv Forum has allowed fans to enter. With the current restrictions, Fiserv Forum is able to hold 1,800 students, which is a 10% capacity, according to their website. In mid-February, the home for Marquette’s men’s games was approved by the City of Milwaukee to allow fans.
The first game Marquette was able to have fans in was also their last of the season. Their match-up against Xavier was Senior Night, as Marquette’s senior were honored at home.
In addition to the 10% capacity, Marquette and Fiserv Forum have put precautions in place to keep the fans safe. Their plan was approved by the City of Milwaukee after the arena submitted their plan.
Fiserv Forum is also the home of the Milwaukee Bucks, who began playing games with fans in mid-February. Brian Morgan, the assistant athletic director, said Fiserv has taken the right steps.
“They’ve done a ton of preparation and prep work. They’ve had eight games, I think, to kind of run through all of this. They’ve given us protocols and guidelines to follow for our game, just making sure it’s being done from a health and safety standpoint,” Morgan said.
Morgan mentioned some of those protocols and guidelines that Marquette fans had to follow for the National Marquette Day game.
“Obviously, face coverings are a must. When you come in, there will be screening questions that will be asked of you. As you come in, everybody will be assigned 20 minute entry windows. Doors will essentially be opened at 90 minutes (before game time) but everybody who has a ticket will be assigned a specific 20 minute window to come into the facility,” Morgan said.
The tickets handed out for Marquette’s game were decided via a lottery selection process. Morgan said somewhere around 65-70% of the tickets went to students.
“We took care of seniors who had season tickets in the past to have the opportunity to claim a ticket first. Then the other (sections) were seniors as a whole, past season ticket buyers, and the freshmen class,” Morgan said. “(The students) have been through a lot in the last year now. We’re really excited to create this opportunity for the students.”
In addition to students, the players’ friends and family were given a certain amount of tickets.
“For their families to come on senior night and see them being recognized and not watching it virtually, that will be a special moment for them. So we’re excited for that opportunity on Saturday night,” Morgan said.
D.J. Carton, sophomore guard for the men’s team, said prior to the game what it would be like to have 1,800 fans screaming in the matchup against Xavier.
“It’s really exciting. It’s been a weird season and it’s been different with no fans; just trying to find your own energy on the court. We’re very excited to come home on senior night and play for the seniors that are leaving and also the fans that are coming in with our family. It’s definitely going to be a different type of energy in that building and we can’t wait to play,” Carton said prior to the game.
Steve Wojciechowski, Marquette’s men’s coach, also said Fiserv Forum was much more different with fans than without.
“It’ll be great to be home at Fiserv (Forum) and have fans there. Obviously, it’s senior night for us and having fans there, there’s a lot to look forward to,” Wojciechowski said prior to the game.
This story was written by Bryan Geenen. He can be reached at [email protected].
