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The Game With No Fans
The Pit, a legendary arena that is known for being loud, and unique that is always packed with fans from all over in New Mexico, was seen last week to be completely empty as the State tournament was taking place for boys and girls basketball; due to the coronavirus outbreak that was taking place all over the country.
The Bengals who just played possibly their best game of the season after defeating Espanola Valley last Wednesday 72-47, moved on to the Semi-final. The game was a joy to watch, fans screaming, yelling, and players giving it their all to compete for a state title. While shortly after the game concluded, the NMAA stated that all fans would not be allowed to watch any more state tournament games, thus Gallup and the remaining teams would be in for a sight to behold.
Come Thursday morning it still didn’t seem right that no fans would be allowed to watch any state semi-final games, we have Seniors all over the state whose parents won’t be in attendance to watch their last games be played, but for myself I understood that players and fans health is key in times of crisis. Despite myself watching all these college and professional sports leagues cancel events throughout March and April, it all was a lot to take in, even as Gallup had to play its biggest game of the year in front of nobody.
The experience was unlike any other, I knew that win or lose I would take in memory to recall for a lifetime last Thursday. Yes, I was disappointed that I had witnessed my last game with loyal Bengal fans the night before, but I was thankful that those fans witnessed a magical night where we won and sent them home on a positive note.
To think that The Pit was going to play basketball with no fans or media still was difficult to wrap my head around. I don’t know what any of the players were thinking, The atmosphere was different throughout the day, with sports being canceled across the world, it was still crazy to think that we have a State Semi-final game, only the third time Gallup has made it to the Final four in it’s school’s history.
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Getting on the bus and seeing The Pit with no other cars around it was a sight to behold, it felt like there were no events going on or nothing to behold. The parking lots were empty and everything was something out of a movie. Now while walking down the famed tunnel at The Pit, any player, or coach is used to the roars and anticipation of running out with fans screaming, this was not the case. Instead, we were greeted with nothing, no fans, no camera, no cheerleaders, nothing.
The Pit that day felt eerie, it just was not right, you look up and there are no fans, from either team, no intensity, and not even any music or announcer for us to get excited about. The fans were the benches. It was so quiet in The Pit that you could hear heaters turn on and off throughout the game, and the buzzer echoing throughout the entire arena, it was such a sight to take in that no fans are able to watch any type of basketball.