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Raptors games in Tampa will have limited fans in stands

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/Tickets for the first 12 home games scheduled to be played at Amalie Arena will go on sale Thursday. TAMPA — Fans will be permitted to attend Toronto Raptors games played at Amalie Arena this season.Tampa’s temporary NBA team will allow a limited number of spectators to attend its first 12 home games as the franchise opens the 2020-21 season locally due to COVID-19-related travel restrictions in Canada.Tickets for home games through the end of January, including Friday’s exhibition game against the Miami Heat and the Dec. 23 regular-season opener against the New Orleans Pelicans, will go on sale Thursday at 10 a.m. at . Ticket sales will be mobile-only as an added safety measure.There is no word yet on the other six home games scheduled to be played in Tampa during the first half of the season, starting with the Feb. 14 contest against the Minnesota Timberwolves. This is so the league can evaluate and allow for capacity adjustments.Fewer than 3,200 socially distanced seats will be available for the preseason game and 3,800 for the regular-season games at Amalie Arena, which has a seating capacity of 20,500 for basketball. Tickets will be sold in pods of two and four. Prices will begin at $30 for the preseason game. The regular season games will range from $35 to $175.Amalie Arena will have several safeguards in place to protect teams and spectators.There will be no floor seats and no seats sold within 30 feet of the court. Fans ages 2 and older must wear masks at all times while inside the venue. The arena will have enhanced surface and air disinfection systems.Similar to Bucs games at Raymond James Stadium, where the crowd is limited to 25-percent capacity, fans must fill out a health survey screening. All concessions and parking-lot transactions will be cashless, and bags are prohibited inside the arena.“In these unique and challenging times, the Raptors are grateful to be able to work closely with the NBA, the Lightning organization and local public health officials to create a safe opportunity for a limited number of fans to take in games,” Tom McDonald, vice president of ticket sales and service for Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, which owns the Raptors, said in a statement.“As the Raptors call Tampa home for the start of the NBA season, the team looks forward to the opportunity to thank the community for their support while continually emphasizing the important steps required of all of us for a full return of fans when it is safe to do so.”The NBA has allowed teams to decide whether to allow fans in their arenas for home games this season, though state and local regulations controlling mass gatherings will prevent some teams from playing in front of fans at home — especially with coronavirus cases spiking across the country.Many teams have decided to open the season without fans in the stands, but the nearby Orlando Magic announced they will host 4,000 socially distanced fans at their games. The Utah Jazz are allowing 1,500 fans, while the Cleveland Cavaliers will allow 300 per game, the most allowed under Ohio state regulations.The Raptors are calling Tampa home for at least the first half of the season, which runs through March 4. At that time, they can return to Toronto if Canadian travel restrictions have eased or remain in Tampa. They have access to Amalie Arena through the end of the NBA postseason on July 22. The Raptors have built temporary team offices and a practice facility at the new J.W. Marriott hotel next to Amalie Arena.Friday’s preseason game at Amalie Arena will be the Raptors’ first with fans since the pandemic. Last season was completed inside the bubble at Walt Disney World, and the team played its first two preseason games in Charlotte in front of no fans.Amalie Arena allowed about 2,000 fans into the building to watch the Lightning’s Stanley Cup finals games in September, and the facility has been refitted to meet all coronavirus-related standards, including bipolar ionization for the arena’s HVAC system. The arena began booking events for limited-capacity attendance in 2021, including a concert by Christian hip-hop artist TobyMac for February.“Amalie Arena is thrilled to play host to the Raptors and the NBA, and we are proud of our partnerships with local public health agencies that allows a safe return to live events,” Lightning and Amalie Arena CEO Steve Griggs said in a statement. “The safety of our guests and our community is our top priority, and these rigorous health and safety protocols have been put in place to ensure that our fans’ experience at Amalie Arena is both safe and enjoyable. We look forward to a safe and successful stay in Tampa for the Raptors.”It’s still unclear whether Raptors games will be broadcast locally on television and/or radio. The Magic hold territorial rights over the Tampa Bay area and broadcast their games locally, so the Raptors would have to make a deal with their temporary neighbors in order to broadcast games in the region.Contact Eduardo A. Encina at eencina@tampabay.com. Follow @EddieInTheYard.This site no longer supports your current browser. Please use a modern and up-to-date browser version for the best experience. — — —

/Tickets for the first 12 home games scheduled to be played at Amalie Arena will go on sale Thursday. TAMPA — Fans will be permitted to attend Toronto Raptors games played at Amalie Arena this season.Tampa’s temporary NBA team will allow a limited number of spectators to attend its first 12 home games as the franchise opens the 2020-21 season locally due to COVID-19-related travel restrictions in Canada.Tickets for home games through the end of January, including Friday’s exhibition game against the Miami Heat and the Dec. 23 regular-season opener against the New Orleans Pelicans, will go...

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Eduardo A. Encina

Florida's largest newspaper with 14 Pulitzer Prizes. Have story ideas or tips? DM us. Support our local journalism: http://tbtim.es/subscribe

Raptors games in Tampa will have limited fans in stands

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