There’s an expression that has become popular in recent years: This is why we can’t have nice things.

This phrase certainly applies to the current situation at Slippery Rock University basketball games, where the stands will sit empty until further notice due to people not following the rules. The rule only applies to men’s and women’s basketball games.

David Wilmes, the university’s chief student affairs officer, said that numerous spectators disregarding the mask policy at games is the reason for the inability to attend games for the time being.

“We have signage, we make announcements and people were disregarding it,” Wilmes said.

Those who want to watch the games will have to do so by tuning in to the broadcasts on SRU’s website.

At a time when omicron — the current variant of the COVID-19 pandemic — is spreading through the population like wildfire, an organization such as SRU has the right to enforce protocols that are aimed at keeping people safe.

Preventing spectators from attending basketball games for the moment is unfortunate. But it’s not unreasonable.

During recent years — and not just during the pandemic — a prevailing attitude among some people has been that while the rules may apply to some people, they don’t apply to them. Or, in some cases, the rules only apply when they don’t impede on the behavior of a specific person being inconvenienced.

But while sometimes rules are inconvenient, they tend to exist for a reason — and in the case of COVID-19, it’s to protect everyone. Occasionally, they are meant to protect the vulnerable from those who are unwilling to comply.

There’s no doubt that everyone is sick of this pandemic, including having to wear masks.

But if you’re planning on going to an event in which the rules are very clearly laid out that you are required to do a certain thing — such as wear a mask — then you are agreeing to follow those rules while you are in attendance.

Large numbers of people violating those rules can lead to consequences. In the case of SRU’s games not having spectators, it’s an undesirable result.

But it could have been prevented if people had simply followed the rules.

— NCD