At least one major city has announced that no large stadium or arena-type events will be held anytime soon. If the colleges, the NFL etc. resume sports this fall, and someone unfortunately contracts the virus at said events, should that person be allowed to sue in court? I believe that this is one reason that colleges may delay the return of stadium events (or concerts, theater etc.) for quite some time.
I don’t see how the college or venue would be liable if a person willingly attended an event with tens of thousands of others.
You might be right; it would be an “assumption of the risk” defense. And I will not be surprised if the terms of agreement often printed on the backs of event tickets will soon include additional ‘hold harmless’ circumstances, like at pro baseball games. Of course courts at times rule that such “agreements” are no defense against negligence. I think that in recent years plaintiffs prevailed when a fireworks display went awry at a rock concert.
I worked feverishly to get really good tickets to Billy Joel and George Strait concerts this summer at Notre Dame Stadium, June and August, respectively. Neither have been canceled–yet. Stadium capacity ~81,000. Don’t see any way Billy is happening; time will tell on George’s concert.
I know it’s an inconsequential blip compared to the nation’s suffering, but dang, one more Covid depressing factor.