Joe Castiglione: Wear a Mask to OU Games or Stay Home
Oklahoma AD Joe Castiglione was very explicit Friday: without universal cooperation, the prospect of college football in the fall is on unsteady ground.
With that in mind, he's asking everyone - students, faculty, staff and fans alike - to stick to university safety protocols.
“It’s not unsafe to walk on campus," said Castiglione. "Let’s make it clear. It’s not unsafe to go to class – if you follow these guidelines that we’re giving you. We have a masking policy on our campus. You have to wear a mask everywhere you are on our campus."
As it pertains to athletes and athletic competition, Castiglione reiterated that the mandate is particularly important. Four FBS conferences have already postponed their football season to the spring, and should an outbreak occur on the campus of a Big 12 institution like Oklahoma, it could have a domino effect on the rest of the college football landscape.
"We’re asking our student-athletes to wear a mask everywhere. ... Same thing we’re gonna ask of our fans when they come to the game. If we have fans and have a game, there’s going to be a masking requirement. To come into the stadium and to stay in the stadium, you have to be wearing a mask to live the entire experience."
Castiglione emphasized that the university's mask mandate is not up for negotiation, and those who choose to attend football games will be subject to the policy.
"That’s just the way it’s going to be," he stated definitively. "I understand that might not be what people want to do. I respect that. I respect they may not want to go to a game and wear a mask. But if you’re gonna come to a game at Oklahoma, it’s going to be a requirement. We ask you to accept it."
And if fans aren't willing to abide by the policy?
"If you don’t want to accept that, then you probably should make the decision not to come to the game," Castiglione continued. "There’s just not gonna be any argument about that. It is what it is. It’s a cloth that protects you and it protects others... let’s just embrace it. It’s for a good reason.”
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