The Golden State Warriors announced Wednesday over social media that the Thursday night game against the Brooklyn Nets will not continue as planned. While the game will still happen, fans will not be allowed to attend.
“Due to escalating concerns about the spread of the coronavirus, and in consultation with the City and County of San Francisco, tomorrow night’s game vs. the Nets at Chase Center will be played without fans. Fans with tickets to this game will receive a refund in the amount paid,” the team announced on Twitter.
“All events at Chase Center through March 21 will be cancelled or postponed at this time. We’ll continue to monitor this evolving situation closely to determine best steps. We appreciate the understanding and patience of our fans, guests and partners,” the team said in a follow-up post.
The upcoming game will serve as a return for Warrior’s point guard Stephen Curry, who recently returned from an injury, but was also out for a recent game because he contracted the flu, reports the San Francisco Chronicle.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the decision to prohibit fans from attending the upcoming game is a response to San Francisco banning gatherings of more than 1,000 people.
“We know that this order is disruptive, but it is an important step to support public health,” said Mayor London Breed in a statement. “We’re following the recommendations of public health officials to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community.”
As The Daily Wire previously reported, the NBA issued a rare joint-statement Tuesday, in conjunction with the NHL, MLB, and MLS to announce new safety measures designed to limit the spread of coronavirus at public events.
“After consultation with infectious disease and public health experts, and given the issues that can be associated with close contact in pre- and post-game settings, all team locker rooms and clubhouses will be open only to players and essential employees of teams and team facilities until further notice. Media access will be maintained in designated locations outside of the locker room and clubhouse setting,” declared the statement.
“We will continue to closely monitor this situation and take any further steps necessary to maintain a safe and welcoming environment,” continued the statement.
While Lakers star LeBron James has previously shared that he would refuse to play if fans were barred from games, he has since walked back those comments and indicated he will follow the NBA’s direction, wherever that may lead.
“[The league is] saying no one can actually come to the game, if they’ve decided to go to that point – so I’d be disappointed in that,” said James, reports the Guardian. “But at the same time, you gotta listen to the people that’s keeping track of what’s going on. And if they feel like what’s best for the safety of the players, safety of the franchise, safety of the league to mandate that, then we all listen to it.”
According to CNBC, the Golden State Warriors’ decision coincides with a move by the World Health Organization to declare the coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic, the first such declaration since the swine flu outbreak back in 2009.
In total, the CDC reports that the swine flu outbreak resulted in 274,000 hospitalizations and killed approximately 12,469 people in the United States. In the first year, between 151,000 and 575,000 people died globally.
