Spectators will not be permitted to attend the 2021 home openers of University of Hawaii sporting events.

Citing the surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitals reaching bed capacities, City and County of Honolulu officials turned down UH’s request for spectators for football games at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletic Complex, volleyball matches at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center, and soccer matches at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium.

“This was difficult,” Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said. “It was not done easily. It came after a lot of discussion. … Right now, the risk of having a large gathering of any kind … it’s about the gatherings and trying to stop this spread.”

The Rainbow Wahine volleyball team is set to open the season Friday against Fairfield in the Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic at Simplifi Arena. The UH football team opens on the road against UCLA on Aug. 28 and will play its home opener against Portland State at the Ching Complex on Sept. 4. The soccer team’s first match is Friday against North Texas at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium.

UH was told the restrictions are for the home openers. The decision for UH to host fans will be evaluated in the coming weeks. UH officials said a refund policy will be announced.

“We are disappointed because we were looking forward to playing in front of our fans again,” UH athletic director David Matlin said in a release. “However, we understand the decision was made in the best interest of public safety and can only hope the restrictions will be lifted when the time is right.”

Blangiardi, who is an inductee of UH’s Circle of Honor and a former Rainbow Warrior football player and coach, issued a statement following the announcement.

“So it is with great disappointment and regret to decide not to allow spectators in the stands to start the upcoming fall season for all sports,” Blangiardi said in a statement. “However, it is a fluid situation and we will continue to evaluate based on current conditions and impacts in the health care community. All is not lost for the fall sports season, but we are urging people to get vaccinated now.”

Later, Blangiardi told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that there were options considered to allow spectators. UH proposed admittance only for vaccinated spectators who would wear masks during the events. Blangiardi also said there was discussion about closing the concession stands.

“Over the course of the last several days, with the case count surging and the hospitals starting to get pushed to the edge, discussions really shifted to restricting gatherings,” Blangiardi said.

Blangiardi said UH officials were seeking a response to prepare for fans or to play without spectators.

“This thing came down to the wire,” Blangiardi said. “They had to know now. We were holding on. We were actually negotiating, hoping we could do it. The counts were just mounting by the day. … They needed to know now because of letting fans know and everything else. Decisions had to be made now. It’s not a game-time decision, unfortunately.”

Blangiardi indicated there is not a specific case number needed to be reached to allow spectators.

“It’s about the overall condition right now,” Blangiardi said. “We’re making a lot of decisions right now based on trying to mitigate any more pressure on our hospitals. We’re getting to the tough point in our hospitals. … As public policy, this is in the best interest of the community as a whole.”