Crazy days: Duke basketball won’t have fans

Duke basketball will be without one of the loudest fan bases in the nation in the 2020-21 season.

The school announced Tuesday that no fans will be permitted at Cameron Indoor Stadium, quieting the Cameron Crazies, as the fans are known, because of the coronavirus pandemic. The fan ban affects both the men’s and women’s teams. Duke’s football team also is playing without fans on campus in Durham, N.C.

“The decision to maintain our non-spectator protocol is imperative for the overall health and safety of the Blue Devil fan base, student-athletes, coaches and support staff, notwithstanding the immediate campus population comprised of students, faculty and staff,” athletic director Kevin White said in a statement.

“We will continue to embrace the challenges of this unique if not unprecedented time with flexibility and compliance, and can’t begin to thank our dedicated, passionate fans enough for their unbridled support.”

Cameron Indoor Stadium, opened in 1940, seats about 9,500 people and traditionally is an unwelcoming venue for visitors because of the fierce fan base. The men’s basketball team is 901-162 (.848) all-time at the arena, including a 543-67 mark (.890) under coach Mike Krzyzewski.

The school also announced its 2020-21 men’s basketball schedule on Tuesday, which is slated to kick off at home on Nov. 25 against Gardner-Webb. The Atlantic Coast Conference portion of the schedule begins Dec. 18 at Notre Dame.

College basketball is getting set to play amid rising COVID-19 cases around the country. On Monday, legendary Michigan State coach Tom Izzo announced he tested positive for the virus.

Gonzaga is the preseason No. 1 team in the AP Top 25 poll, with Villanova the early betting favorite to win the NCAA Tournament. –Field Level Media ()