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By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com
The Golden Knights plan to apply for increased fan attendance capacity for home games in April, and are considering requiring fans to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination if capacity goes up from the current 20 percent at T-Mobile Arena. Under the new COVID-19 directive in Nevada, the VGK can apply for up to 50 percent attendance capacity.
Vegas Golden Knights President Kerry Bubolz outlined that potential strategy in a 15-minute interview with local las Vegas station, KTNV.
Here’s Bubolz discussing the capacity proposal.
Starting April 5 in Nevada, all residents who are 16 and older will be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.
“We’re thinking of different ways of expanding (attendance at) our facility,” Bubolz said.
The Golden Knights started with 15 percent fan capacity — or 2,605 fans — for home games on March 1 and 3. Then, the four-year-old NHL franchise received permission from the state and local health officials to bump that up to 20 percent attendance capacity, or 3,473 fans, for games this week on March 15 and 17. The Golden Knights’ fixed-seat capacity at T-Mobile Arena is 17,367, but they can fit in another 1,000 or so fans for standing room only. That’s why attendance was often more than 18,000 during the pre-pandemic times.
Other sports teams are requiring proof vaccination or a negative test result for COVID-19 for fans to attend games in person. For example, both the Yankees and Mets in New York City will allow 20 percent capacity at their ballparks, which, interestingly enough, served as vaccination sites in New York.
The Golden Knights will continue to have 20 percent attendance capacity for home games this month on March 22 against the St. Louis Blues, March 29 against the Los Angeles Kings and March 31 against the Kings.
Here are some fan reactions on a Facebook VGK fan page:
The Las Vegas Raiders did not have any fans at their eight home games during the inaugural season at Allegiant Stadium in 2020.
UFC will not have any fans at events in Las Vegas unless it’s 100 percent attendance capacity. That’s why UFC President Dana White said he’s moving UFC 261 to Jacksonville, Florida for 15,000 fans at Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena on April 24.