What will Duke’s Cameron Indoor Stadium look like without the Crazies? Here’s a peek
While it won’t be anywhere close to the same atmosphere without the Cameron Crazies, Duke is making sure they and the rest of the school’s basketball traditions aren’t forgotten when the Blue Devils play home basketball games this season.
“Our people have done a good job making Cameron look fairly good,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said during a video conference with reporters on Thursday.
Fairly good qualifies as a big win in 2020. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Duke will not be allowing spectators or any news media to attend games at Cameron Indoor Stadium when the Blue Devils open their season Nov. 25 against Gardner-Webb.
The famed, rowdy student section will be there in spirit and likeness, though. Rather than using cardboard cutouts, the school is installing a fabric covering over Section 17, the side of the court where the students are during games. The covering features images of the Cameron Crazies.
Coverings with photos will also be installed behind the baskets where the student band and the section where the graduate students are normally located during home games.
“I think the main people in Cameron are the Cameron Crazies and the band,” Krzyzewski said. “And so they’ve created some really nice things to honor those people. People can have cutouts. We decided not to have them. We just decided to do it and kind of a big scheme in honor of the Cameron Crazies. And I think that’s a good idea.”
Duke’s success at Cameron is well-renowned. The Blue Devils are 907-163 (.848 winning percentage) in the stadium since it opened in 1940. Since Krzyzewski began coaching the Blue Devils in 1980, Duke is 549-68 (.890) at home while going unbeaten at home during 11 seasons.
The streak of consecutive home sellouts is at 472 dating back to Nov. 26, 1990.
During two scrimmages this month, Duke used artificial crowd noise to create a game-type atmosphere.
The NCAA established guidelines for the use of artificial noise this season saying, among other things, the noise can’t exceed 85 decibels and must remain constant while the ball is in play. Band or any amplified music can only be played during timeouts, instant replay reviews or at intermission.
But, despite that, with no fans, Cameron won’t have the same intimidating feel.
“I’m starting my 41st year here,” Krzyzewski said. “So I’ve benefited greatly from having that sixth man to create one of the best environments in sport, not just in basketball, and not having that will mean, well, we’ll see. You know, after we play a couple games, I’ll let you know how good or how bad it is.”
Krzyzewski said he fully supports the school’s decision to keep fans out in order to slow the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus
“Everyone’s got to adjust,” he said. “I’m all for what our school’s doing and no fans. They’ve done a great job for our university.”
He and his staff must take extra steps to prepare the team for a different home atmosphere. Friday night’s final preseason scrimmage will serve as a dress rehearsal. The team will enter the court from the locker room by running past the fabric coverings showing images of the Cameron Crazies and the band.
Everyone will wear masks when they are not playing. Bench areas will be adjusted for social distancing. The game management staff at the scorer’s table will be separated by Plexiglass.
Given the unusual setting, the idea with the dress rehearsal is for the players to get over the oddity so when the games start for real they are mentally prepared.
“Getting accustomed to environment is huge,” Krzyzewski said, “because you want total focus when you are in a game.”
Freshman forward Jalen Johnson, who was named to the preseason all-ACC team, said he’ll miss the fans. But he’s still eager to finally play in a game for Duke on Nov. 25 no matter the circumstances.
“Fans or no, this is my biggest dream, just being able to put on a Duke basketball jersey,” Johnson said. “So I think that’s gonna be more special than anything is. Of course I’d love to have the Cameron Crazies in for sure. Unfortunately, things aren’t going that way and are not looking too promising.”
This story was originally published November 19, 2020 at 2:32 PM with the headline "What will Duke’s Cameron Indoor Stadium look like without the Crazies? Here’s a peek."