March Madness arena capacities lower than anticipated
With pod seating in place, the annual NCAA men’s baseball tournament will kick off today with March Madness arena capacities lower than anticipated. (more…)
NHL teams prep for return of arena fans
As COVID-19 restrictions are loosened as cases and deaths decline, NHL teams are preparing for the return of arena fans as early as next week, subject to approval of local health officials. (more…)
Raptors to finish season in Tampa
With it increasingly looking like there will be no relaxation of Canadian border restrictions in coming months, the Toronto Raptors (NBA) announced they would finish the season at Tampa’s Amalie Arena. (more…)
Cuomo approves New York arena openings at partial capacities
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has approved New York arena openings, paving the way for Madison Square Garden, Nassau Coliseum and Barclays Center to welcome a limited number of fans to NHL and NBA games. (more…)
AHL shuffles divisions, postpones Canadian play
With the 2020-2021 AHL season set to launch Friday, the league has shuffled its schedule and postponed the beginning of play in its Canadian Division. (more…)
Climate Pledge Arena concessions: Extreme grab and go
We’re seeing some information leak regarding Seattle Kraken (NHL) and Climate Pledge Arena concessions, as Oak View Group CEO Tim Leiweke says his team is working with Amazon on contactless concessions similar to Amazon Go stores. (more…)
Heat taps coronavirus-sniffing dogs dogs to screen fans
Here’s one unusual approach to COVID-19 mitigation: the Miami Heat (NBA) are employing coronavirus-sniffing dogs at AmericanAirlines Arena to screen fans entering the venue. (more…)
Habs add ECHL Trois-Rivières team as 2021-2022 affiliate
The Montreal Canadiens will affiliate with a new ECHL Trois-Rivières team beginning in the 2021-2022 season under a three-year deal. (more…)
Applications for Devils Buy Black Program now open
The New Jersey Devils (NHL) are accepting applications for the Devils Buy Black Program as part of team owner Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE)’s $20 million social equity pledge. (more…)
Hawks add Sharecare Health Security certification to State Farm Arena
We’ve seen plenty of arenas seek various health-related certifications as they launch 2021 operations, but the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena are the first to earn a Sharecare Health Security VERIFIED rating for a sports and entertainment venue. (more…)
New Madison Square Garden plan proposed
A new Madison Square Garden would anchor a development featuring two supertall towers, as Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU) pitches an ambitious plan to replace the venerable arena. (more…)
No fans at Amalie Arena events–for now
With COVID-19 positivity rates rising in the greater Tampa Bay Area, we will not see fans at Amalie Arena events, including Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL) and Toronto Raptors (NBA) games, for now. (more…)
