I’m not, at least not yet. Ask me again after I’ve been vaccinated.
The Rockets on Thursday made official their plans to have limited numbers of fans in attendance at home games under a variety of health and safety protocols during the spike in cases in the coronavirus pandemic.
There will be a reduced capacity of spectators at Toyota Center of approximately 16-20 percent (3,000 to 3,660) for Rockets games and other events, beginning with the Rockets regular-season season opener next Wednesday. Thursday’s preseason game against the Spurs is to be played with staff, friends and family in attendance as a final test of the health and safety requirements and sanitation steps planned.
Fans will be required to answer health questions prior to entering Toyota Center with additional league-mandated testing protocols required of fans closer to the court.
Face masks are required for all those in the building 2-years-old and older, other than players, unless eating or drinking. Gaiters, bandanas or vented coverings will be not considered acceptable face coverings.
The NBA did a great job with the bubble for their 2020 playoffs, but that’s not practical for the regular season, which will be slightly shorter than usual but still pretty close to normal. College basketball is happening now, though I don’t know what the fan attendance policies are. I’m not ready for this, and I don’t think it’s a great idea. I wish I knew what the city of Houston and/or Harris County think about this, but that topic was not explored in the story. I hope this doesn’t cause any large-scale breakouts, but I wouldn’t bet on it.
(By the way, the scheduled season opener for the Rockets yesterday was postponed because of COVID concerns on the team. Womp womp.)
“I wish I knew what the city of Houston and/or Harris County think about this, but that topic was not explored in the story.”
Since the Rockets are confirmed Democrat and blm supporters (same thing, I know), there will be no problems, so you won’t hear a thing about it from Hizzoner or Dora. The virus respects political ideology, and thus, the covid won’t be an issue for the Rockets’ patrons, just like it wasn’t an issue when the Toyota Center was used as a mass voting station, or during the 60,000 person DNC/George Kirby gathering earlier this year.
Compare and contrast with the proposed Republican convention at the GRB. THAT would most certainly have been a super spreader event, because the virus spreads virulently among Republicans and conservatives. Thank goodness that was shut down. But having thousands at a Rockets game? Hey, game on! No problem!
I also find it ironic that the Rockets, having pissed off a significant portion of their fans with their unabashed support of the blm, also face the problem that ideologically aligned fans, who are generally more afraid of the virus than conservatives, will be scared to attend actual Rockets’ games. So half are mad, the other half are afraid to go.
I hope they’re making enough from China to make this all worth it.