Three hundred Brooklyn Nets fans are headed to Barclays Center to see Kyrie Irving and James Harden in action, while 2,000 New York Knicks fans will be at Madison Square Garden cheering Julius Randle, as professional basketball reopens to spectators on Tuesday night after nearly a year of pandemic-related closures.
The pair of games will mark the first time New York City fans will see their teams in the flesh real life since March 8th; the NBA suspended their 2020 season on March 11th last year. The season wrapped up proceedings over the summer in a spectator-less "bubble" in Orlando.
New York State authorized in-person attendance of sporting events earlier this month after the successful pilot program during the Buffalo Bills' playoff run: About 7,000 fans—or 10% of the Bills' stadium capacity—attended each game after taking a COVID-19 test no more than 72 hours in advance.
They also had to adhere to social distancing and other public health protocols such as, like submitting to contact tracing.
The costs of COVID-19 tests were included in the Bills' ticket prices. No outbreaks were reported after the two playoff games.
Capacity for the city arenas is likewise limited to 10%, which translates to 2,000 for MSG and just over 1,700 at Barclays.
However, the Nets are tiptoeing their way into the reopening by only offering tickets to 300 fans for Tuesday night and the next two home games. According to the Wall Street Journal, fans were sent at-home COVID testing kits (also included in the cost of admission). When they arrive at Barclays Center, each attendee will be given a new KF94 mask to wear. They must sit 9 feet away from other groups and are restricted to using bathrooms in their seating area.
The NY Post describes the Nets' setup as "resembl[ing] a luxury living room." Nets season ticket holders and suite holders are being given "priority access" to the reopening, but the team will open more tickets to the public with upper level seating, after the All-Star game on March 7th.
The Knicks' ticket prices do not include COVID test fees, but the team has partnered with Northwell Health to set up PCR tests for their ticket holders.
The Nets, who are 20-12, swept all five games of their West Coast jaunt—a franchise first. Their reopening hometown game will be against the Sacramento Kings. The 15-16 Knicks will be hosting the Golden State Warriors.
“Inviting fans back in, I feel it does great things for the league, it does great things for us in terms of motivation,” Nets star Kyrie Irving said.
