South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
Limited fan seating set to begin Jan. 28
Like the Miami Dolphins, Miami Hurricanes and Florida Panthers, the Miami Heat have opted to open limited seating for fans.
They will begin that gradual process with their Jan. 28 game against the Los Angeles Clippers at AmericanAirlines Arena.
Having played in the absence of fans amid the coronavirus pandemic for their lone exhibition and first six regular-season home games, including Saturday’s against the Detroit Pistons, the Heat also will do the same for the Pistons’ return visit on Monday and then the Jan. 27 home game against the Denver Nuggets.
And then, for the first time since last March, when the league shut down and moved into a quarantine bubble setting at Disney World to complete the 2019-20 season, there again will be season ticket holders in the building.
To this point, attendance for recent Heat home games has been limited to friends and families of those affiliated with the team.
In a letter to season ticket holders, the Heat wrote, “We are happy to announce that
beginning with the Clippers game on January 28th we are prepared to host an extremely limited number of Season Ticket Members at American-Airlines Arena.
“Health and safety guidelines will be in place to ensure everyone is observing proper physical-distancing protocols. This limited capacity scenario will continue through the February 9th game.”
That total is expected to be fewer than 2,000 for the 19,600seat facility.
The initial policy will cover games Jan. 28 against the Clippers, Jan. 30 against the Sacramento Kings, Feb. 1 against the Charlotte Hornets, Feb. 3 against the Washington Wizards, Feb. 5 against the Wizards and Feb. 9 against the New York Knicks.
“Because of the Arena’s reduced capacity,” the Heat noted, “the seating available for the January
28th through February 9th games will not accommodate all” seasonticket holders.
The Heat also announced an updated credit policy for season ticket holders, as well as plans for limited online sales on an individual-game basis. Information on that process is expected to come within days.
The return of fans will be accompanied by heightened arena safety measures.
Per the team, “The Heat gameday experience has changed. These changes include enhanced cleaning and disinfecting throughout the Arena, physical distancing, a mandatory mask wearing policy, and cashless and contactless transactions for our limited food and beverage menu.”
A health and safety guide is being emailed to season ticket holders.
The team said the anticipation is to increase seating capacity to accommodate more season ticket holders after the Feb. 9 game. The Heat have a seven-game trip after that game and then four more home games to close out of the first half of their schedule.
The NBA has only released the first half of the 72-game pandemic-shortened schedule in order to accommodate games that get postponed.
The Heat have not lost any home games, but their game last Sunday in Boston was postponed.
Of the anticipated increase in seating, the Heat said, “That decision will be made based on guidance from health experts from the NBA and local government.”
The Orlando Magic have had limited general fan seating since the start of the season, with the Toronto Raptors, who have had to relocate to Tampa due to Canadian pandemic border edicts, initially hosting fans at Amalie Arena before a recent change of policy there.
Beyond the Magic, NBA teams currently hosting fans are the Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets, New Orleans Pelicans and Utah Jazz.
The Heat’s Dec. 23 regular-season opener at the Amway Center, a loss to the Magic, remains the lone game the Heat have played this season with fans in attendance.