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The Dallas Mavericks, the professional basketball team owned by billionaire Mark Cuban, provoked massive outrage this week — as well as a Twitter debate between Cuban and sports journalist Clay Travis — by announcing its own mask/vaccine mandate.
Emailed to season ticket holders and published to the team’s website, the mandate requires game attendees to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test.
The rule also applies to children unless they’re “under the age of 12 and NOT seated within 15 feet of the court,” according to the policy listed on team’s website.
Meanwhile, virtually all attendees must be masked.
“In accordance with the Dallas County mask order, masks (covering your nose and mouth) are required and enforced for all fans ages 2 and up, unless actively eating or drinking in assigned seat, regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status,” the policy reads.
Guests at Mavs games this season will be required to provide either proof of a Covid-19 vaccine or a negative rapid test within 48 hours of the event to enter the arena this season, unless you’re under 12 years old and not seated within 15 feet of the court.
— Bobby Karalla (@bobbykaralla) September 30, 2021
Beginning Oct. 1, you can upload your vaccine or test information to https://t.co/5hFQR0v1z2 for convenience purposes but you can also bring a printed/digital copy of your vax card or test results with you to the arena. More info can be found here: https://t.co/1aM8zuPSg3
— Bobby Karalla (@bobbykaralla) September 30, 2021
In an email to D Magazine sent Thursday, Cuban, the widely known owner of the team, sought to explain the reasoning behind these mandates.
“We wanted to keep our customers and employees as safe as we can. There are no absolutes with COVID. But based on the data, we have we felt that was the best decision. As the data and science evolves we will re-evaluate our decisions as often as we think it helps,” he said.
The argument left many fans (some of them now former fans) unconvinced. In fact, ever since the Mavericks announced its new policy, both the team and Cuban have faced backlash not only for the vaccine mandate but also the even more inexplicable mask mandate even for the vaccinated.
Look (*Language warning):
This sucks @dallasmavs . If you do this for games I hope you offer refunds to season ticket holders. pic.twitter.com/HAqoNHHDqO
— Matthew Marchant “expert says” (@MatthewMarchant) September 30, 2021
@AACenter @dallasmavs FUCK YOU for requiring vaccinations that don’t do shit!! to watch a fuckin sports game, when we’ve been attending concerts and doing just fine!!! EVERYTHING IS POLITICAL WITH YOU ASSHOLES, JUST PLAY FUCKING SPORTS!!!!!!!!
— Texas (@WordsFromTexas) October 1, 2021
Even more reason not to go watch @dallasmavs
— Txnrbl79 (@Txnrbl791) October 1, 2021
Implement whatever policy you like, @MCuban.
Just know that between not playing “The National Anthem” and now your Vaxx Proof, mask policies,
you keep giving me reasons to not attend any @dallasmavs‘ games.@NBA— RC (@Pedlar7) October 1, 2021
UGH….was looking forward to @dallasmavs season but now I am a no go!!! Fine with showing vaccine but NOT wearing a mask!!! https://t.co/rfF7x7PtaT
— Heather Arthur (@heatherarthur) September 30, 2021
Mark. Actual clinical studies show natural immunity to be longer lasting than the Jab. You don’t like Science?
— Sue D’Nym (@SueDNym4) October 1, 2021
But Cuban hasn’t been taking the backlash lying down. He’s been firing back on his critics, not that his arguments have been too substantive.
He’s been feuding especially hard with conservative commentator, sports journalist and radio show host Clay Travis, who’s been relentlessly trying to instill in Cuban an understanding of the power of natural immunity.
Studies have suggested, albeit non-conclusively, that natural immunity acquired from contracting COVID itself offers better protection than the coronavirus vaccine. Yet the Mavericks’ policy makes no exemptions for those with such immunity.
“Why don’t vaccinated people need to get a negative test too, Mark? They have less protection than people who had covid and recovered according to Israeli study of 700,000 people. Vaccinated people are spreading covid widely. This is all cosmetic theater,” Travis tweeted to Cuban late Thursday.
The tweet set off a feud that lasted over an hour, during which Travis sarcastically asked Cuban if he’d like to debate COVID natural immunity with actual clinically licensed doctors like Sen. Rand Paul.
Look:
And what did that study say people who had covid should do ? And where is the study that determines how long that natural immunity lasts ? You have no idea. It’s a guess. The only certain way to extend or create any level of immunity , no matter how imperfect , is via the vaccine https://t.co/8UmwuYh4gn
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) September 30, 2021
That is not what it says. Nor is that the goal. You should read the study. It said those infected with a shot faired best. Natural immunity wanes in a manner comparable to an 8 month old Pfizer vaccine. And we still don’t know vs moderna https://t.co/j3iRXUOyf0
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) September 30, 2021
Wait. I thought we were discussing it. You need stand ins now ? Just read the study. Read the newer studies. Natural Immunity wanes. Like immunity from shots. But I have to ask, are you suggesting that going forward people try to catch covid again rather than getting vaccinated? https://t.co/V0oyE9TKJP
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) September 30, 2021
Meanwhile, Cuban made the case that the immunity provided by the vaccine is greater than natural immunity because of booster shots …
Look:
Really, really bad logic again. First – https://t.co/0gpWhH3rtv. 2nd – Do we know for sure that covid isn’t a latent virus that can resurface ? I don’t know the answer. Do you ? https://t.co/SriKDKJuFx
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) October 1, 2021
Your logic is really, really bad. We have boosters to EXTEND immunity. Now you go- how do we extend natural immunity ? https://t.co/3DTHZIH9t5
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) October 1, 2021
The back-and-forth exchange ended with Travis accusing Cuban of “selling the illusion of safety and virtue to your customers” and the Mavericks owner never replying.
Mark, you are selling the illusion of safety and virtue to your customers based on your covid policy while providing neither. https://t.co/aJlRBhDCka
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) October 1, 2021
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V. Saxena is a staff writer for BizPac Review with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University.
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