San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced Wednesday that mass gatherings of over 1,000 have been canceled for at least the next two weeks.
In response to the news, the Warriors will play their upcoming home game Thursday against the Brooklyn Nets at Chase Center without any fans in attendance. The Santa Cruz Warriors' game Saturday, originally scheduled to be played at Chase Center, will now be moved back to Santa Cruz and also be played without fans.
The Warriors released the following statement on Wednesday morning:
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"Due to escalating concerns about the spread of COVID-19 and in consultation with the City and County of San Francisco, the Golden State Warriors announced today that tomorrow night’s game vs. the Brooklyn Nets at Chase Center will be played without fans. In addition, all events through March 21 will be cancelled or postponed at this time. Fans with tickets to Thursday and Saturday night’s games will receive a refund in the amount paid. Guests who purchased tickets to a concert occurring at Chase Center during the impacted dates will be notified through the promoter directly to either receive a refund or exchange for a rescheduled show at Chase Center.
"We will continue to monitor this evolving situation closely to determine next steps for future games and events. We appreciate the understanding and patience of our fans, guests and partners during this unprecedented time."
Scheduled events through March 21 at Chase Center include:
• Thursday, March 12 – Golden State Warriors vs. Brooklyn Nets*
• Friday, March 13 – Tame Impala (postponed)
• Saturday, March 14 – Santa Cruz Warriors vs. Austin Spurs (moved to Santa Cruz)*
• Thursday, March 19 – Post Malone (canceled or postponed - TBD)
• Saturday, March 21 – Bell Biv Devoe & Friends (postponed)
*Games will continue as scheduled without fans in attendance.
NBA
The NBA later released the following statement Wednesday afternoon, courtesy of league spokesman Mike Bass.
"In accordance with the directive of the city of San Francisco, the March 12 game between the Brooklyn Nets and Golden State Warriors at Chase Center will be played without spectators. We are closely monitoring developments to determine the appropriate course for future Warriors home games and will continue to work with local governments, the CDC and public health experts to protect the health of our fans, players, coaches and staff in NBA markets across the country."
After the Warriors' game against the Nets, they leave on a five-game road trip through Milwaukee, Toronto, Indiana, Detroit and New York. They return to Chase Center on March 25 to play the Atlanta Hawks, which would still fall under the two-week window that Mayor Breed issued. They then have three more home games on March 28, March 29 and March 31 before hitting the road again.
Over 1,000 people are confirmed to have the coronavirus in the United States, which is labeled COVID-19 by the World Health Organization. Twenty-eight people have died nationwide, according to NBC News.