aking up on March 11, 2020 the Covid-19 pandemic seemed like something that was mostly a problem on distant shores. Sure, there were school closures, major employers started to transition to remote work, and other protective measures were in place here. But the largest stories of sorrow were focused on Europe and Asia. European soccer teams were already shutting out some fans. A handful of college basketball games had delays or closed-door games planned.
But even when the Sounders warned fans to stay away if they felt unsafe for the March 8 match against the Columbus Crew, the pandemic felt far enough away that more than 30,000 fans showed up to watch the game.