Heat to continue playing home games without fans through end of 2020. Here’s latest
The Miami Heat will continue to play games at AmericanAirlines Arena without any fans in attendance through the end of 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Heat previously announced Dec. 11 that it would play its preseason opener against the New Orleans Pelicans on Dec. 14 and its Christmas Day regular-season home opener against the Pelicans on Friday at a fan-less AmericanAirlines Arena.
But in an email sent to season-ticket holders Tuesday, the Heat’s message was clear: No fans are expected back at its downtown Miami arena through the end of the calendar year. That means the Heat’s first three home games of the regular season — Dec. 25 vs. Pelicans, Dec. 29 vs. Milwaukee Bucks and Dec. 30 vs. Bucks — will be played without fans at AmericanAirlines Arena.
Nothing official has been decided yet beyond the end of 2020. The Heat’s first home game in 2021 is Jan. 4 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“The end of next week will mark the beginning of a new year,” the Heat wrote in an email to season-ticket holders. “Everyone in our organization welcomes the hope and optimism that in 2021, we will be together again, in a safe environment, watching Miami Heat basketball at the Heat’s house. Until that time comes, I will keep you informed as we prepare AmericanAirlines Arena for your safe and eventual return.”
The Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Milwaukee Bucks, Thunder, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs and Washington Wizards are among the NBA teams that are also beginning the season without fans at their respective home arenas.
But the other two NBA teams playing home games in Florida are allowing fans to attend in a limited capacity.
The Orlando Magic will have a physically-distanced, limited capacity of approximately 4,000 fans for regular-season games at the Amway Center. The first five regular-season home games are expected to experience a lesser capacity in order to allow fans to become accustomed to the health and safety protocols.
The Heat opens the regular season Wednesday against the Magic in Orlando.
The Toronto Raptors, which have been temporarily relocated to Tampa because of COVID-19-related travel restrictions in Canada, are hosting a limited number of fans for home games at Amalie Arena to begin the season. There will be 3,800 seats available for regular-season games, but no seats will be sold within 30 feet of the court.
Along with the Magic and Raptors, the Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets, Pelicans and Utah Jazz also plan to begin the season with some amount of fans in attendance for home games.
The Heat’s hope is to host some amount of fans at AmericanAirlines Arena this season, and the organization has been working for months to create and implement health and safety protocols to make it as safe as possible whenever it has the opportunity to open the arena’s doors to fans.
But the recent COVID-19 spike is certainly a looming factor, as most NBA teams plan to start the season by playing home games in an empty arena.
The situation remains very fluid, though. Teams could change their policy to begin hosting fans at home games at any point this season if the pandemic and circumstances allow, with the Spurs already targeting their Jan. 1 matchup against the Lakers to begin welcoming fans back to their arena in a limited capacity.
Each NBA market’s ability to host fans is impacted by different local regulations, relative to COVID-19 concerns. Florida has looser COVID-19 regulations compared to some states.
The last Heat home game at AmericanAirlines Arena that was played with fans in attendance was a March 11 loss to the Hornets, the night the NBA suspended the season before play resumed inside a quarantine bubble on July 30 at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista.
Heat president of business operations Eric Woolworth said in an email earlier this month that season-ticket holders “will be credited accordingly for any home games missed until we decide to host fans at AmericanAirlines Arena in 2020-21.”
Season-ticket holders are asked to call 786-777-1400 or email SeasonTicketMemberships@Heat.com with any questions.
THIS AND THAT
▪ Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said following Tuesday’s practice that he has “a pretty good idea of what we’re going to do” when it comes to the starting lineup and rotation for Wednesday’s regular-season opener against the Magic.
With the entire roster expected to be available for Wednesday’s contest except for two-way contract guard Gabe Vincent, who is on the verge of being cleared to play in games after an offseason scope on his right knee, Spoelstra faces tough rotation decisions. The Heat’s roster features 13 realistic rotation options.
“We’re going to try to approach it to where we can try to get to our strengths and minimize theirs as much as possible,” Spoelstra said.
▪ As for Vincent, Spoelstra said: “He’s very close to getting cleared [for games]. I mean he has been cleared for full contact. He has been practicing.” Vincent, who was the only Heat player on Tuesday’s injury report for the season opener, is listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game against the Magic.
▪ Veteran Heat guard Avery Bradley, who was on the Los Angeles Lakers’ roster that won an NBA championship last season, said he will watch the Lakers’ ring ceremony on Tuesday night.
“I’m really intrigued. I will watch it tonight,” Bradley said Tuesday. “I was actually texting Kyle Kuzma this morning. He’s pretty excited about the ceremony tonight and I’m excited for those guys. Me being a part of the Heat now, I still know there was a lot of work I put in last year with that team. It will be a memory that we’ll have forever.”
Bradley opted out of joining the Lakers in the NBA’s Disney bubble last season primarily because his oldest child, 6-year-old son Liam, has a history of struggling to recover from respiratory illnesses. But Bradley said he expects to receive a championship ring and has already been sized for one, he just doesn’t know yet when the Lakers will present it to him.
This story was originally published December 22, 2020 at 3:34 PM.
