BOSTON The Phoenix Suns were managing a COVID-19 outbreak as their season fell apart, multiple sources told The Athletic, with six individuals including one player testing positive either late in the Western Conference semifinals or the day after Game 7. The Arizona-based Translational Genomics Research Institute had identified as of Friday 122 known cases of the delta variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. The league on Sunday said it had no plans to put its season on hold, as teams struggle to make available a league-mandated eight-man roster for games due to injuries and COVID-19 contact tracing.. will be allowed. Suns incorporating changes to arena renovations with COVID-19 in mind When : Game 1 is Saturday, April 29 at 5:30 p.m. PT/8:30 p.m. In NBA terms, it is the Bradley Beal defense. "If you choose not to get vaccinated, then youre choosing a higher risk lifestyle, no matter whether you go to Suns games or not, and thats your choice to make. A sign on the box office windows of the Marquee Theatre in Tempe announcing the venue has lifted its COVID-19 restrictions. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. As COVID-19 cases in Arizona continue to decrease to their lowest levels in nine months, multiple concert venues across the state have recently started rolling back rules requiring patrons to provide proof of vaccination or a recent negative test result. At Staples Center, fans are required to show proof of full vaccination, or a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of the game.. Amick told Bickley & Marotta that, in reporting for the story, some sources said they believed there was a rift in the Suns organization about how to handle the COVID-19 developments. The venue debuted as America West Arena and later changed to U.S. Airways Center and then Talking Stick Resort Arena.. Upon entry, any bags within the required size limits are required to be screened through our X-ray technology machines. Phoenix Suns not allowing fans at games to start NBA season LeBron James registered a false positive test for COVID-19 this week, and eight negative tests later, he cleared the NBA's health and safety protocols in time for Friday's showdown with the Los Angeles Clippers, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin. Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum - Wikipedia Select Your Dates. The fastest route to a return from COVID-19 is by producing two negative tests 24 hours apart which is how Horford returned to the Celtics for Game 2 of the conference finals. You might have a little quiet conversation, I dont know man, you sure you need to test? Thats where I think the NBA has to continue reevaluating how they handle it. Talent at ABC/ESPN with the closest proximity to players (on-court or one-on-one sitdown interviews) during the finals have to test to gain access, regardless of vaccine status. Ticket sales for the new seating areas (except floor seats) being added throughout Phoenix Suns Arena will go on sale tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 11, beginning with priority access to PayPal SixthMan Season Ticket Members at 8 a.m. MT, followed by non-members at 4 p.m. MT. Fourteen of them have been reported to be vaccinated. Health Insider Dr. Janice Johnston from Redirect Health says the key will be following the clean habits we've built over the last year. Social Distancing: Physical distancing will be required at all times, particularly in queueing areas (arena entrance, concessions, restrooms and Team Shop) which will be clearly marked and monitored by arena staff. Phoenix has not been involved in mask discussions with the Suns since the citys mask mandate ended, said Jeanine L'Ecuyer, Mayor Kate Gallegos communications director. Ever since Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving brought the league to the center of the vaccine debate in October, my inbox continues to be littered with questions that take some form of, If vaccines are so effective, why are NBA players still getting COVID-19? Found items may be turned in to the Guest Services Office. That conversation usually fizzles once said team's ceiling is set below championship level, unless an MVP-caliber performer emerges, in which case the debate about his ability to win the title will only grow louder with each successive playoff loss. Close. Once seated, fans will enjoy an enhanced gameday experience headlined by a new center hung scoreboard that is six times larger and clearer than its predecessor, two new LED ribbon boards that ring the lower and upper bowls, an upgraded sound system for crystal-clear audio and Musco lighting that gives our players main stage theatre illumination. COVID-19 WARNING: An inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any place where people gather. The Phoenix Suns put themselves in too deep of a hole after getting beat in the little areas early by the Denver Nuggets. Reset. None of this accounts for the NBA's stricter guidelines for unvaccinated players, which prevent them from social interaction outside practice and game settings. PHOENIX The newly renamed Footprint Center updated its event policy to mandate masks to enter any upcoming events. You hear stories from quite a few teams, where its like we never admitted it publicly, but so-and-so doesnt feel great and theyre a really important player, Amick told Arizona Sports Bickley & Marotta on Wednesday after the story was published. Suns' COVID-19 outbreak in playoffs raises questions about NBA Prior to attending any game, all guests at Phoenix Suns Arena will be required to submit a Fan Promise an online, standardized health questionnaire about COVID-19 symptoms and exposure. Phoenix has a 4-6 record against the spread while finishing 6-4 overall over its last 10 games. The Suns and Nuggets both need to prove something to themselves this postseason that they didn't achieve in the regular season. Sign in to your account to access your Phoenix Suns tickets. The Denver Nuggets (53-29) have one player on the injury report in their NBA playoffs second round game 1 with the Phoenix Suns (45-37) at Ball Arena on Saturday, April 29 at 8:30 PM ET. A concert at Crescent Ballroom in early 2020. Signs about wearing masks have beenposted around the arena for Suns and Mercury contests. David Zalubowski/AP Photo Fans walk through the team logo illuminating the floor of Ball Arena before the Denver Nuggets host the Phoenix Suns in the first half of Game 4 of an NBA second-round . The Fan Promise will be accessible via the Official Suns App sponsored by Verizon and must be completed by every fan, employee and vendor entering the venue. Bulls star Zach LaVine missed Game 5 of Chicagos first-round series after the team announced he tested positive for the virus. Phoenix Footprint Center officially christened with new name for arena Try a week on us. The Suns feel like Ayton and the rest of the players on the floor will be geared up for the pick and roll of the Nuggets. We should not be surprised by the media's fascination with the Lakers, starring LeBron James. One day, well have a COVID-19 game, whether or not the league further relaxes its rules. from issuing exchanges or refunds after a ticket has been purchased, or for The other five members of the team who tested positive were support staffers, according to the report. Talking heads may be sleeping on the reigning Western Conference champions, but the sharps have taken notice. For more information please contact Footprint Centers Guest Services team at 602-379-2060. Seating Charts. While a packed arena without masks would have been "irresponsible"a couple months ago, Humble said he thinks "it's generally OK" at this point. The Suns also added kiosks to exchange cash into debit cards to limit contact. In light of the variants spread, some health agencies, some hospital leaders and health experts are suggesting people wear masks indoors in public places, regardless of whether they have been vaccinated, to help slow the spread. In 2022-23 against the spread,. Cash Conversion: As a convenience to our fans with cash, the Phoenix Suns Arena offers free cash conversions. The NBA has gotten a starry second-round slate, with Stephen Curry and Golden State set to meet LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. The playertested positive the day after Game 7. That means about only 15 players are not. Physical distancing should be adhered to as much as possible in pool settings. Deandre Ayton thrived against back-to-back league MVP Nikola Jokic in the second round two years ago. The news might help explain, in part, how Phoenix went from beating Dallas by 30 points in Game 5 before losing by 27 and then 33 points in Games 6 and 7, respectively. In the event of an emergency, please notify any Footprint Center representative or uniformed police officer in your area in order to ensure that appropriate emergency personnel are notified and dispatched. Sikka, a physician for the Denver Broncos of the NFL and founder of the COVID-19 Sports and Society Workgroup, said the combination of vaccines and antiviral drugs like Paxlovid are helping players recover faster from the virus, preventing symptoms from lingering and allowing them to test negative sooner. From the time of the NBAs Orlando bubble in 2020 to this postseason, much has changed about the way the league handles the virus. Team and/or Arena rules, or the refunding to the Holder of the . All floor seats are at least 10 feet from the sidelines, and floor seat holders must remain masked at all times and will not be permitted to eat or drink while in the floor area. Information in this story was confirmed by more than a half-dozen sources. LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers walks off the court past fans following the NBA game against [+] the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena on November 12, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona. Sixteen-thousand fans are welcome at the Tuesday night Phoenix Suns game -- how can you feel safeand is it safe? Updated: 6:23 PM MST June 8, 2022. The so-called delta variant is gaining momentum in unvaccinated people and has some public health officials worried about its increased transmissibility. . PHX Theatre to require masks, vaccine proof for some shows - KNXV The arena transformation features touchless restroom facilities (sinks, paper towel dispensers, toilets, urinals). *The use of still cameras during concerts and other Non-SUNS/MERCURY/RATTLERS events, will be determined on an event-by-event basis. Lastly, every fan will be welcomed to a new, cushioned seat, as every seat was replaced during the arena transformation. I work outside, do I need to wear a mask? The Suns website says masks must be worn unless fans are eating or drinking. of the Western Conference Finals at Phoenix Suns Arena on June 28 . The NBA requires all team personnel, regardless of vaccine status, to test for the virus if they are experiencing symptoms, and they may not play, coach or be at team facilities if they test. Arizona Derby Dames (2009-present) Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum is a 14,870-seat multi-purpose indoor arena in Phoenix, Arizona, located at the Arizona State Fairgrounds. The Phoenix Suns are going to the NBA Finals, and thedowntown arena will be packed. Only four NFL teams put vaccine mandates in place prior to this seasonthe Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints, Las Vegas Raiders and Buffalo Bills. The Footprint Center reserves the right to remove ANY banner or sign without exception. The Phoenix Suns' star quartet of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton looked mighty average in their Game 1 loss to the Denver Nuggets. Subscribe today. Below are policies and rules to assist with your visit to Footprint Center. Are Suns ready to join rest of NBA with a G League team? People working outside while following CDC guidelines and adhering to physical distancing of 6 Health care workers, for example, are susceptible to a much higher breakthrough rate. He thinks that's likely because it's actually enforced there, as those fans are closest to the players. Paramedics and EMTs are present during events at the Footprint Center; First Aid is located on the Main Concourse across from Section 116. The Phoenix Suns put themselves in too deep of a hole after getting beat in the little areas early by the Denver Nuggets. Guests may also call the Footprint Center Security department at 602-379-2055. Fans who are at high risk for COVID-19, who are feeling sick or who have been recently exposed to a positive case are asked not to attend games. Talking Stick Resort Arena Is Now PHX Arena, at - Phoenix New Times "We still expect fans to wear masks throughout the arena and required at court level per NBA rules," Dean Stoyer, the teams chief marketing and communications officer, wrote in a text message. If any seats remain, non-members outside of the presale list will have access to floor seats at 3 p.m. MT. Official Phoenix Suns app sponsored by Verizon. Although it would be hard to know by watching footage or seeing fan pictures, masks are required for entryfor all events at the Phoenix Suns Arena. Player prop bet odds for Nikola Jokic, Deandre Ayton and others are listed when the Denver Nuggets host the Phoenix Suns at Ball Arena on Monday (opening tip at 10:00 PM ET). First, it's a flimsy excuse, and second, the story raises questions about how the Suns navigated NBA rules for dealing with COVID-19. 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As accessible seating is limited, advance notice is preferred in order for Guest Services to accommodate all our disabled guests. At previous games inside Suns Arena, they were able to keep empty seats between fans but Tuesday night will be more of a challenge. The Centers for Disease Control and Preventionstill says fully vaccinated people can resumeactivities indoors and outdoors without masks or physical distancing, unless local places or businesseshave stricter rules. In addition, the Suns are offering Party Pods for groups of four to six fans. Gone are the days when players and coaches were tested multiple times a day, with the league-wide goal of keeping COVID-19 completely out. New capabilities include: Grab & Go Concessions: Three unique Grab & Go stands are available throughout the main concourse stocked with an assortment of soda, water and alcoholic beverages. Adoration for coach Monty Williams came from every corner of the NBA. Although the Footprint Center website states that once inside the building, masks are just recommended when not eating or drinking. The health and safety of fans, staff, players and officials remains the utmost priority for the organization as it moves from 1,500 fan capacity to 3,000. The truth is James' ordeal is more proof the NBA's strict COVID guidelines are working. The Suns have hit the over in seven of their past 10 games. A casual observer's begrudging respect does not really matter in the end. The Milwaukee Bucks announced that they were expanding attendance to 18% capacity, or roughly 3,280 fans. Apr 1, 2021. The logical conclusion here: Time to get your booster shot. "LeKaren gets COVID while Kyrie is still free," one email read. That's not the kind of attention any team wants. Suns set to boost home capacity to 16,000 - Sportstar The Phoenix Suns had won 18 consecutive games tied for the 10th-longest single-season streak in NBA history before Friday night's loss to the Golden State Warriors. One Phoenix assistant coach, Bryan Gates, tested positive after Game 6 and missed the final game, while at least some of the other Suns indicated to colleagues they werent feeling well prior to Game 7. It's probably a good idea to wear masks indoorsin crowded situations, since its still possible vaccinated people can get the virus, said Dr. Joshua LaBaer, director of Arizona State Universitys Biodesign Institute, at a Wednesday news briefing. *Please note that each event may have its own health requirements for entry. Waltz has won two Academy Awards, and the Suns will take that hardware over fanfare any day. 4 min read. Rowley credited discussions the Suns have had around the league, where every team is focusing on how they can make the building safer once fans eventually return. 3: Freeing up Kevin Durant, Denvers largest test, Suns-Nuggets preview, Pt. Standard backpacks are not permitted inside the arena. For event specific information, please visit the individual event detail page on FootprintCenter.com Additional health and safety measures instituted to welcome fans into the transformed [] (AP Photo/Matt York). Located in the private luxury suites at Phoenix Suns Arena, the Party Pods offer a choice of food and beverage packages, one parking pass for the group, a dedicated restroom within the suite, and a private shopping experience exclusively for Party Pod fans. More holidays are around the corner. The Footprint Center reserves the right to take appropriate action up to and including relocation, ejection, or season ticket revocation for wheelchair/ companion ticket fraud. Suns set to welcome up to 16K fans at arena -- is it safe? - KNXV That ready to go will be 60% of the renovations done this summer and the rest finished next summer, and the Suns obviously feared potential snags the renovations could hit that would jeopardize their timeline. Nuggets try to make star-studded Suns look average again - Yahoo News The Athletics policy is not to name players who test positive for COVID-19 unless they are named by the team. With an event of this size, it's likely to serve as a blueprint for other big events in the Valley, like the return of concerts. Bottles, cans & coolers *sealed water bottles permitted but may be prohibited for select concerts. All true, but that take ignores one fact that became increasingly clear throughout the playoffs: The Suns are rock freaking solid. Address. The NBA requires all team personnel, regardless of vaccine status, to test for the virus if they are experiencing symptoms, and they may not play, coach or be at team facilities if they test positive. In 2020, they sold the Northern Arizona Suns to the Detroit Pistons. Suns had COVID-19 outbreak to end Mavs series, per report - Arizona Sports NBA Fact or Fiction: Respect the Suns and NBA COVID protocols All attended points of sale will have Plexiglass barriers between fans and staff. In addition, Management reserves the right to restrict any article not specifically listed above. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. PHOENIX It appears the Phoenix Suns were dealing with more than the Dallas Mavericks during the 2022 Western Conference semifinals. But unlike cups of beer and Devin Booker signs, an accessory worn for more than a year in public might be. The Denver Nuggets' bench has rounded into form this postseason and could be a tough matchup for the Phoenix Suns. Breach of terms or rules will terminate your license to attend the event without refund. 4: Potent bench could be Denvers edge, Suns-Nuggets preview, Pt. Up to 80% of all planned work was completed in time for the 2020 preseason home opener, a 112-107 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on December 16, 2020. That even goes as far as putting down antimicrobial paint, which makes it more difficult for things to stick and bacteria to linger. All floor seats are at least 10 feet from the sidelines, and floor seat holders must remain masked at all times and will not be permitted to eat or drink while in the floor area. The maximum protection that you can get as you choose to go into these events would be to wear a mask in these environments, White advised. March 28, 2022 The NBA is requiring all coaches and staff be vaccinated against Covid-19, but players will face no such mandate, after the union representing them called the idea a "non-starter." The state health department follows CDC guidelines. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images). We certainly would advocate that people wear masks, that our fans do wear masks, since theyre coming together in these indoor, not well-ventilated environments, to help us decrease the amount of virus transmission that we see, with this virus being prevalent within our communities,Dr. Michael White, chief clinical officer for Phoenix-based Valleywise Health, said at a news briefing Thursday . Email him at rohrbach_ben@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! In 2022-23, Phoenix has taken 63.8% percent of its shots from inside the arc . If were able to move up certain components of the construction, well work with those guys and figure out how to best do that. At this point pretty much everybodys had a chance (to get the vaccine). Warriors coach Steve Kerr missed two games in the Western semifinals after he tested positive, and Celtics forward Al Horford was out for Game 1 of the Eastern finals with a positive test. I do think with half our community being vaccinated, and it's similar throughout the country, we're not seeing those bumps where people are gathered together so that's a good thing," she said. Footprint Center - Phoenix AZ, 85004 The Suns, meanwhile, transformed from perennial lottery afterthought to bona fide contender overnight, largely skipping the customary years-long discussion that follows most young teams' rise from potential sleeper to plucky playoff challenger and ultimately serious threat. Failure can take many acceptable forms, from bad matchups to the effects of altitude on a top-heavy team already taxing its best players. Even if one of those four players whose vaccine status has not been disclosed tested positive, that would be a 6.7% rate twice that of their vaccinated counterparts in the smallest of sample sizes. "Look at other cities where they've opened for baseball and other big events and what's happened afterward, we just haven't seen that. Pricing for the Party Pods start at $300 to $500 per seat and will vary per game. Jun 7, 2022 The Phoenix Suns were managing a COVID-19 outbreak as their season fell apart, multiple sources told The Athletic, with six individuals including one player testing positive. Humble said it seems from what he's seen on TV that only fans in the front row really consistently wear their masks. seat selection. These two teams rack up 229.4 points per game between them, 2.4 more than this game's total. The Valleys safety net health care system has seen a recent uptick in COVID-19 patients across its hospitals, from one COVID-positive patient two weeks ago to 12 as of Thursday, White said. The Phoenix Suns had won 18 consecutive games tied for the 10th-longest single-season streak in NBA history before Friday night's loss to the Golden State Warriors. The three Western Conference finals games played in Phoenix over the past two weeks saw crowds of about 16,600 fans. Unvaccinated NBA Players Will Reportedly Lose Salary For Games They Miss Due To Local Mandates (Forbes), The NBAs Anti-Vaxxers Are Trying to Push Around the League And Its Working (Rolling Stone), Full coverage and live updates on the Coronavirus, This is a BETA experience. Limited floor seating will go on sale to PayPal SixthMan Season Ticket Members at 8 a.m. MT, Friday, Feb. 12. Humble said as long as people aren't feeling sick, they should be able to decide for themselves about wearing masks indoors, depending on their personal risk tolerance. "Obviously the vaccine DOES NOT WORK.".