Twelve mayors of 11 Big Ten conference cities sent a letter to the conference asking for stricter COVID-19 protocols during football games on Monday.
The letter was written by East Lansing, Michigan, Mayor Aaron Stephens, and signed by 11 other mayors. The three universities not represented by their cities in the letter are Illinois, Nebraska and Rutgers. Michigan State is represented by both Stephens and Lansing, Michigan, Mayor Andy Schor.
“We know the history of football games within our cities. They generate a lot of activity, social gatherings and the consumption of alcohol,” wrote Stephens. “These activities within our communities have also been associated with an increased spread of COVID-19. We, as cities, continue to respond to issues as they arise, respective of the individual rules put in place within our regions.”
Stephens laid out several requests that he and the other mayors have for the conference to reduce the potential spread of COVID-19 in their communities. Among the requests were fewer late afternoon and night games, a listed percentage of positive tests deemed unsafe for a city to host a game and for the conference to release the full schedule of kickoff times for the rest of the season.
The Big Ten football season is set to kick off on Oct. 23 when Wisconsin hosts Illinois. IU opens its season Oct. 24 at home against Penn State.
