Warriors agree to play games without fans because of coronavirus

By Ian Levy | Mar 11, 2020

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 07: A general view during the warm up before the game between the Golden State Warriors and the Philadelphia 76ers at Chase Center on March 07, 2020 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /

Adhering to the orders from the San Francisco Health Office, the Golden State Warriors are the first NBA team to agree to play games without fans in the arena because of the coronavirus outbreak.

The global novel coronavirus outbreak has been spreading for months and as the number of cases in the United States grows, sports organizations have been preparing to adjust their operations. It’s been reported for a while that playing games in front of fan-less arenas was on the table, especially as that procedure has been implemented for several European soccer matches.

Now, the Golden State Warriors have become the first NBA team to officially announce they will play in an empty arena. The San Francisco Health Office issued guidelines this morning, banning gatherings of more than 1,000 people for two weeks. Later, the Warriors confirmed that they would adhere to this policy for their next game, Thursday, against the Brooklyn Nets. After that, the Warriors leave town for a five-game road trip.

The league already had a conference call planned for this afternoon with teams and the board of governors to discuss the situation and it was previously reported that this guideline could be adopted league-wide. Other options on the table include playing games in alternative arenas in other cities where the virus has not yet spread. The league has already issued recommendations to players about avoiding contact with fans and earlier this week implemented new rules for media access that included closing locker rooms.

The novel coronavirus and COVID-19, the disease it causes, first emerged in Wuhan, China in December 2019. The virus spreads similarly to influenza, with sneezing and coughing as the primary vectors of infection. To date, more than 100,000 cases have been confirmed in more than 120 countries worldwide, including the United States. The World Health Organization officially declared it a pandemic and it’s spread hasn’t yet begun to slow.

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For more information about COVID-19, visit the CDC’s website or the website for your state’s Department of Health.

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