Warriors To Play Game With No Fans Due To Coronavirus Concerns
Mar 11, 2020, 12:52 PM | Updated: 1:00 pm
An exterior view of the Chase Center (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Golden State Warriors will become the first NBA team to play a game in their home arena without fans due to rising concerns about Coronavirus. The Warriors issued a press release saying their game Thursday night will be played at Chase Center against the Brooklyn Nets in front of an empty arena.
The Warriors have canceled or postponed all other events at the Chase Center through March 21, guests who purchased tickets will either be refunded or given tickets to the rescheduled events.
The mandate to play the game without fans in attendance did not come from the NBA but from the San Francisco Health Office according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The Golden State Warriors are planning to play foreseeable home games without fans in observance of the San Francisco Health Office's order prohibiting group of events of 1K or more from assembling, source tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 11, 2020
The SFHO has prohibited gatherings of people larger than one thousand people in group events.
The Warriors had originally rebuffed recommendations from Mayor London Breed’s office regarding non-essential gatherings. The Chase Center posted signs on doors during recent games that fans were entering the events at their own risk.
Meanwhile, the San Francisco Giants have canceled their preseason game against the Oakland Athletics schedule for March 24 at Oracle Park.
Elsewhere, the Seattle Sounders FC have postponed their March 21 match against Dallas FC which was set to be played on March 21 at CenturyLink field in Washington.
Following Governor Inslee’s news conference this morning, Sounders FC's match on March 21 versus FC Dallas at CenturyLink Field has been postponed.
STATEMENT ➡️ https://t.co/1Z2CF8xhUS pic.twitter.com/4eA0ksTUfk
— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) March 11, 2020
NBA owners are scheduled to take part in a conference call later today to determine further action regarding coronavirus.
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