State lifting crowd limits on pro sports. Will Sacramento Kings host California Classic?
Fans are beginning to wonder if NBA summer league basketball will return to Sacramento as the state lifts capacity restrictions on professional sporting events in the weeks to come.
The NBA recently announced the Las Vegas Summer League will be held Aug. 8-17 at MGM Grand. That event was preceded by the California Classic in Sacramento when the Kings rolled out their own summer showcase in 2018 and 2019, but that isn’t expected to happen this year.
The Kings will participate in the Las Vegas Summer League, but the organization currently isn’t planning to host the California Classic, a team source told The Sacramento Bee. The Kings have not made a formal announcement about this year’s event or their plans for future.
The California Classic was introduced in 2018 as a three-day round-robin tournament featuring the Kings, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat. Marvin Bagley III, the No. 2 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, and Harry Giles III made their highly anticipated Kings debuts at the inaugural event. The same teams returned for the second California Classic in 2019, but the event was canceled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
State officials are planning to lift COVID-19 restrictions across the state June 15. Ballparks, arenas and stadiums will be allowed to open without capacity limits or social distancing.
The Sacramento River Cats announced Sutter Health Park will reopen without distancing or capacity restrictions when they play the Salt Lake Bees on June 17 to open a 12-game homestand. The team said fully vaccinated guests will no longer be required to wear masks. Sacramento Republic FC will return to full capacity at Heart Health Park for a June 26 match against Phoenix Rising FC.
The San Francisco Giants will reopen Oracle Park at full capacity June 25 for the first game of the Bay Bridge series against the Oakland A’s. The A’s will open the Coliseum to full capacity beginning June 29 with a number of health and safety measures still in place, including cashless transactions and mobile-only ticketing.
State officials strongly recommend that anyone attending an outdoor event with more than 10,000 people should be fully vaccinated, obtain a negative COVID-19 test prior to the event or wear a face covering.
