Wednesday, February 10, 2021, 12:00 p.m. ET
In a move that seems to mark a shift toward the return of live music in New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday announced that qualifying arenas and stadiums across the state will be able to start welcoming in-person fans for ticketed events beginning on February 23rd. The decision comes as the state’s late-2020 COVID-19 spike continues to dip and other facets of everyday life begin to return (indoor dining in New York City, for example, will resume this coming weekend).
Qualifying indoor arenas across the state and stadiums with a 100,000-person total capacity will have to abide by a strictly-enforced limited capacity of just 10%, and fans who do choose to attend a sporting or music event must provide a negative PCR COVID-19 test within 72 hours of the event. Mask-wearing, temperature checks, and assigned seating will also be required as part of New York’s latest step in reopening its live events industry.
“The testing to me is key. I can go see the president of the United States, take a test and if I pass the test, walk into the Oval Office,” the New York Governor said with Wednesday’s announcement. “This hits the balance of safe reopening. A PCR test is as safe as you can get.”
For now, the decision appears to mainly apply to athletic events. In New York City, both Madison Square Garden and Barclays Center plan to reopen with extremely limited fan attendance for their respective NBA and NHL teams. Citi Field, which is currently being used as a city-run mass vaccination site, will also aim to prepare the stadium for in-person fans ahead of the MLB‘s opening day in April. For more information on the gradual reopening of stadiums and arenas in New York, head here.
https://liveforlivemusic.com/news/co...tion-tracking/