Duke basketball 'tenting' tradition changed due to COVID restrictions
Duke University has curtailed the student tenting tradition during its basketball season.
The policy reduces the number of students that can occupy each tent.
Duke University’s gameday “tenting” tradition is changing due to COVID-19.
Before entering designated basketball games, students must camp out in tents for a specified amount of time and with a minimum number of friends.
On Dec. 23, the university announced in an email obtained from Campus Reform that traditional 10-person minimum requirement for ”black” tenting will be reduced to six total individuals, which conforms with the expectations for the “blue” tenting tradition.
”Blue tent groups will be required to split into 3 physical tents with 2 people in each tent each night,” the email reads. “There should never be more than 2 people in a tent at a time.”
The number of students required at any given time changes throughout the tenting season. A group of students known as “Line Monitors” call tent checks to make sure each group has enough people in “Krzyzewskiville,” the space used for the tents.
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If a group does not have enough “tenters” during a check, then they may lose their spot.
Campus Reform spoke about the school’s COVID-19 restrictions with a student who requested anonymity.
The student said increased testing and the new tent capacity regulation were “reasonable” measures. But the student also noted that the masking requirements felt “a little nonsensical.”
Duke “is going to struggle greatly” to enforce the tent check mask mandate, the student said.
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Duke requires all students to be vaccinated and boosted and “tenters” will also be required to wear masks during outdoor tent checks. Masks are also “strongly recommended at all other times in K-Ville,” according to the email. “Tenters” will also be subjected to “COVID testing more frequently per week.”
Additionally, students must inform the Line Monitors if they test positive for COVID-19.
This year marks Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final season at Duke basketball.
Campus Reform reached out to Duke University and the Head Line Monitors for comment. This story will be updated accordingly.
