Kings fans can return to Golden 1 Center soon under California’s new COVID-19 guidelines
State officials announced new guidelines Friday that will allow sports fans to return to arenas, ballparks and stadiums beginning April 15 with strict COVID-19 protocols and capacity restrictions in place.
The California Department of Public Health updated the state’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy reopening plan to allow live-audience sporting events and other activities to resume with modifications to reduce risk. A limited number of fans could be admitted to Golden 1 Center as soon as April 20, when the Kings return from a road trip to host the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Kings have not announced if they plan to have fans in attendance for that game, but the team has worked with the NBA and public health officials for months to prepare for spectators to return.
“We are excited about today’s announcement regarding indoor professional sports venues and look forward to safely welcoming fans back to the arena in the near future,” the team said in a written statement. “On behalf of the entire organization, we thank Governor Newsom, state and county public health officials and the NBA who have worked tirelessly to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, providing prevention guidelines and protocols and for collaborating to create a robust health and safety plan that enables guests to return to Golden 1 Center.”
The Los Angeles Lakers released a statement saying they will open their doors to fans when they entertain the Boston Celtics on April 15.
“We are incredibly excited that the State of California announced guidelines today that will allow Lakers fans to return to STAPLES Center,” the team said. “Now that we have the guidance, we will work with LA County Public Health and STAPLES Center to finalize our plans to have fans safely attend our games starting with the Lakers vs. Celtics game on April 15.”
California is easing restrictions as vaccination rates increase and the state’s COVID-19 test positivity rate nears a record low. Under the new guidelines, indoor live events and performances will be allowed in counties in the red, orange and yellow tiers of the state’s recovery plan. Sacramento is currently in the red tier.
Events will be subject to capacity limits and modifications, including physical distancing, advance ticket purchases and designated areas for eating and drinking. Venues with a capacity of 1,501 or more in a red-tier county will require COVID-19 testing or proof of vaccination, and crowds will be limited to 20% of capacity.
“Today’s update to the Blueprint for a Safer Economy is a result of the progress we are making both in vaccinations and in controlling the spread of COVID-19,” Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency, said in a news release. “By following public health guidelines such as wearing masks and getting vaccinated when eligible, we can resume additional activities as we take steps to reduce risk.”
This story was originally published April 2, 2021 at 3:26 PM.
