After a previous rule banning all spectators from Kalamazoo High School and Battle Creek High School match-ups, district officials are now allowing some fans to watch basketball games live in the stands.
On Tuesday, district officials from Kalamazoo Public Schools and Battle Creek Public Schools released a joint statement, saying that family would be allowed in the stands.
Student-athletes will each get four tickets for family members to attend basketball games between the two schools.
"We recognize that there is a lot of pride behind each of our schools and how important these games are as a celebration of our talented student-athletes," said the districts in a joint statement.
However, officials also alluded to safety concerns at the sports events.
"Due to recent events within our community, there have been heightened anxieties around the safety of student-athletes and spectators at large, well-attended events," officials said.
District officials did not specify the recent events that prompted these concerns.
Previously, the districts had completely prohibited spectators to attend basketball games between Battle Creek High School and Kalamazoo High School. In the statement announcing that past decision, officials cited an "incident at the Battle Creek Central and Kalamazoo Central football games."
FOX17 did report back in October that police were investigating shots allegedly fired in the parking lot of the C.W. Post Field in Battle Creek. The incident happened after a football game. No one was hurt.
Battle Creek officials had protested that the decision to ban spectators at basketball games was not made in consultation with them, promising to look into the decision and come up with a solution that kept athletic events "fun, safe, and accessible."
The latest ticketing policy- which allows up to four family members to attend games- will start this week, when Battle Creek Central faces Kalamazoo Central on the court. The policy will apply to the the season's remaining basketball games between Battle Creek Central, Kalamazoo Central, and Loy Norrix in Kalamazoo.
The policy does not apply to winter sports, district officials clarified.
Fans can livestream games online, with separate links for Battle Creek Public Schools and Kalamazoo Public Schools.
