It has been over a year since the coronavirus cleared out arenas and stadiums impacting sports across the country including Washington, D.C. Now after a long wait, the Office of the D.C. Mayor, D.C. Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, and D.C. Health have approved Capital One Arena opening to a limited number of fans per game in the arena, capped at 10 percent of capacity, which equates to 2,100 fans per game. The Wizards will welcome back fans at its April 21st home game against the Golden State Warriors.
“Our fans fuel everything our players and teams accomplish, and they have been deeply missed,” said Monumental Sports & Entertainment Founder and CEO, Ted Leonsis. “Our country has been through great stress over the past year, and it has taken a mental toll on all of us, but we know that sports are a great healer. So, we thank Mayor Bowser and her team for approving our vigorous health and safety plan so that some of our passionate Caps and Wizards fans may gather – with the first games being attended by some of our incredible first responders and frontline COVID-19 workers.”
The Wizards and Monumental Sports & Entertainment will invite and honor hundreds of pre-selected frontline workers to the April 21 game in recognition of their efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Due to the very limited tickets to be made available, priority for ticketing will be given to season ticket members and partners, with information forthcoming on ticket availability for the general public.
Fans are encouraged to visit https://www.nba.com/wizards/
The Wizards are having a rollercoaster season so having fans in the building may provide a much needed boost.
“It’s definitely exciting for us,” Bradley Beal stated. “We really miss our fanbase and our home crowd. It will definitely mean the world to us, coming back being able to play in front of some of our fans.”
“It’s going to be great. It’s also going to be great to see the ushers,” Coach Scott Brooks said. “The players [and staff], you build relationships with them. The fans, it’s the same way. It’s going to be nice to have people in our building. I’m glad to have them back and I’m looking forward to our next home game.”
Fans who are unable to attend Wizards games in-person can enjoy game entertainment through the Wizards Virtual Gameday. Virtual Gameday allows fans to enjoy select in-venue experiences within their own homes.
The Wizards will host theme nights in the coming weeks including Japanese Heritage night (Apr. 26 vs. Spurs), Hometown Heroes Night (Apr. 28 vs. Lakers) and Military Appreciation Night (May 14 vs. Cavaliers).
The team’s remaining home games with fans in attendance are as follows:
Apr. 21 vs. Golden State Warriors 7:00 p.m.
Apr. 25 vs. Cleveland Cavaliers 7:00 p.m.
Apr. 26 vs. San Antonio Spurs 7:00 p.m.
Apr. 28 vs. Los Angeles Lakers 7:00 p.m.
May 3 vs. Indiana Pacers 7:00 p.m.
May 14 vs. Cleveland Cavaliers 7:00 p.m.
May 16 vs. Charlotte Hornets TBD
A series of health and safety protocols will still be in effect for all games. Some of the protocols consist of face coverings, health screenings upon entrance, electronic tickets, fans seated in pods of one to four seats, and social distancing to name a few. Full health and safety protocols are available online.