Like classrooms, Pauley Pavilion will remain empty for the majority of January.
UCLA Athletics announced Tuesday afternoon that all indoor athletic competitions on campus will be closed to the general public through Jan. 21. The move comes after UCLA announced a return to remote instruction through Jan. 28, and after fan attendance was limited for UCLA men’s basketball’s home contest versus Long Beach State on Jan. 6 at Pauley Pavilion.
Only families of team members will be allowed at indoor sporting events, according to an athletic department statement.
🚨 Updated information regarding home indoor athletic events through January 21. 🚨
ℹ️: https://t.co/GLWQ3DE02x pic.twitter.com/kmBOZFcdOi
— UCLA Athletics (@UCLAAthletics) January 12, 2022
The move affects a total of seven Bruin athletic competitions: two men’s basketball games, three women’s basketball contests and two men’s volleyball matches. All three teams will compete at Pauley Pavilion, while the men’s volleyball program also hosts matches at the John Wooden Center.
Tuesday’s announcement also affects the Jan. 21 USC-Penn State men’s volleyball matchup set to be played at Pauley Pavilion for the Pac-12/Big Ten Challenge.
In a press conference Tuesday morning before the announcement, UCLA men’s basketball coach Mick Cronin said he hoped for fans at the Bruins’ upcoming games, but added that the decision was out of his hands.
“You know where I stand on that – can’t be enough people in there for me,” Cronin said. “I watched the (College Football Playoff National Championship) last night, indoors with 75,000 people, so you can imagine where I stand. I’ve been pretty clear, but they don’t include me in that.”