Tomorrow, March 12th, the Golden State Warriors will take on the Brooklyn Nets in an empty Chase Center.
Due to the rapid spread and fear of a larger outbreak, the city of San Francisco has officially prohibited any events gathering 1,000 or more persons. Fans who purchased tickets to the game will receive a full refund. Because of the ban all games and events through March 21st at the Chase Center will be cancelled or postponed.
San Francisco's move to ban large events comes after the NBA suggested that teams prepare to play empty areas in order to keep fans and the general public safe.
At first, LeBron James was appalled by the possibility saying he would not play if the NBA were to enact a "no fans policy." A week later, James has come around and sees the value in the NBA's and surrounding local government's precautions.
"Obviously I would be very disappointed not having the fans, 'cause that's what I play for. But at the same time, you gotta listen to the people that's keeping track of what's going on. And if they feel it is best for the safety of the players, safety of the franchise and league to mandate that, then we all listen to it," said James.
So far, no other teams have confirmed that they will be postponing or playing games to empty arenas. According to CBS Sports, the NBA is planning to meet with owners and executives to "go over a contingency plan" for upcoming games.
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