“Science, my boy, is made up of mistakes, but they are mistakes which it is useful to make, because they lead little by little to the truth”.
- Jules Verne, ‘Journey to the Center of the Earth’.
“But the reason I call myself by my childhood name is to remind myself that a scientist must also be absolutely like a child. If he sees a thing, he must say that he sees it, whether it was what he thought he was going to see or not. See first, think later, then test. But always see first. Otherwise you will only see what you were expecting”.
- Douglas Adams, ‘So long and Thanks for all the Fish’.
Fall in the Zona Metropolitana de Guadalajara, the twilight hours, a cold northerly wind blows through the Bajio de Zapopan. For those of you who haven’t had the pleasure of visiting the Akron Stadium as the Sun sets, golden rays spilling over the hills west of the stadium, I can only say it’s a mystical-technological experience. To the West a landscape of hills, covered with native flora, bush and scrub mainly. If you turn east, majestic Akron, crowned with her halo of clouds. Further into the distance you can see the headlights scurrying red and blue through the failing light. Magical, right?
NOT!!! Dudes and Dudettes…Its cold!!! That wind will eat through anything less than some heavy denim and a hoodie, or if you are friolento like I am, a parka. I am poorly equipped to deal with cold but I am not exaggerating. Even those people who always come to the stadium in shorts, chanclas, and a VIVA GUADALAJARA stamped poncho, are forced to at least don a long sleeved t-shirt and some socks to their get up in order to brave the cold. I began to worry a little.
I wasn’t sure if I had thrown a jacket into the trunk. Coming to the game had been a last minute decision. We weren’t sure it was time to go out and expose ourselves so openly to becoming infected with the virus. We had been cloistered like nuns mostly, Las Nonas Amorelli de la Blanca Concepcion. Social distancing has been in effect since day one, including zero interaction within large group activities.
As we drove up Avenida del Bosque, we started hitting heavy traffic. No surprises there. We knew that die-hards would be flocking towards the stadium in support of our beloved Rebaño. That and it was rush hour. And, about an hour before my good friend, el licenciado Carlos ‘Gia’ Cardenas, the guy who convinced me to go to the game, we shall refer to him as “El Sonsacador”, had told me that when he arrived at six there were not many people there yet, but that he thought it would build up later because there were a set of checkpoints in place which would definitely put a brake on our entering the stadium smoothly.
The first checkpoint was administrative: any and all people entering the grounds of the Estadio Akron had to have either a ticket or Multi-Annual Chivabono. Quick in and out and on our way to parking.
First Health filter, a temperature check and on to the parking lot. Parking attendants ushered the vehicles to clearly segmented parking spaces separated by a 2 meter gap and marked with parking cones.
So far so good. The first leg of the rehearsal for the Return to Spectator Sports had been successful. Between traffic and the first three filters I would say about 30 minutes elapsed. If I had gotten there earlier I am sure that time would have been reduced by half. It was seven forty by then.
A quick jog to the next filter, another Ticket/Chivabono check and off to join a line for A SPEED COVID DETECTION FILTER before being allowed to pass on to the metal detectors. The test, applied by RADAR JALISCO, was a quick prick on the forefinger for a blood test, checking for antibodies produced by people who have previously been exposed to SARS, Co V2 or COVID-19. After a nerve wracking wait of approximately 15 to 20 minutes came the results… NEGATIVO BABY!!!
I gotta admit I was relieved! Made me feel confident. A placebo for some, but a spot-on decision made by Secretaria de Salud Jalisco. Why? It was a two-fer. One, check for possible Covid carriers and two, create a registry of those who entered the stadium for COVID Protocol Purposes. If any of those present were exposed to the virus, there would be a way to contact them.
Filters aside, Santiago and I followed the Red Brick path, through the turn-styles and into the majestic monument known as Estadio Akron. As soon as we placed a foot within the Chivas Shrine, temperatures were checked once more before Ushers were allowed to guide us to our assigned spots in the bleachers. Seating arrangements were two down and two up, two seats together and two seats left between the Spectator Assigned Spots to cover the social distancing norms provided by the Mexican Soccer Federation and Public Health Authorities.
A 60 minute process, a worthy ordeal. Not only due to the fact that after 8 months, 25 days and 21 hours we were able to return to and enjoy a live Spectator Experience, made triumphant by a might Red and White victory over our dread rivals, but also and most importantly, because we were part of a large scale social experiment. We were able to observe and participate first-hand in what might just become a commonplace procedure in the aftermath of the Covid-19 Pandemic. Part of the new normalcy which we will just have to get used to.
Some dude on TWITTER labelled me a #COVIDIOTA, clever yet unoriginal. I disagree my friend. Talking Heads and Busy-Bodies, Provocateurs and Rampant Paranoids all have had their say before and since game day. Irresponsible and ill-timed, a blatant disregard for Fan safety. I can understand their worry. I wasn’t sure what I would encounter and I was worried that it would be a shambolic, unorganized, fubarred mess. If it had been I would have been the first to leave. But every step was measured and precise.
Believe me people, If all things are so organized as we move into the post-Covid, neo-normalcy, the transition will be a piece of cake. Not the same. Different. So yes, I was, responsibly or irresponsibly, part of the transition into a new era in Spectator Sports. You can criticize me, but I was there and I witnessed it with my own eyes.
