Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has revised the team’s COVID protocols for fan entry at games, nixing a vaccine mandate, but keeping in place strict masking requirements after a sustained period of declining cases.
The new requirements will go into effect on November 15 at the American Airlines Center when Dallas hosts the Denver Nuggets.
Cuban told the Dallas Morning News earlier this month that the revised health and safety measures are a result of the decline in average coronavirus case numbers and recent actions from local health officials.
The change in policy follows outrage by season ticket holders and fans after the Mavericks informed them by email that the team’s vaccine mandate requires that game attendees show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test to enter the stadium. Although billionaire owner Mark Cuban claims the reversal had to do with a decline in the number of cases, it would seem that the blowup over the announced mandate definitely had something to do with his backtracking.
The @dallasmavs have announced new health and safety guidelines for fans
at @AACenter. pic.twitter.com/Oe0vHWO4bx— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) October 30, 2021
Fans who are ticketed within 15 feet of the courtside area will still need to comply with NBA entry requirements and submit vaccination proof via the team’s website. However, fans everywhere else in the arena will no longer have to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test or full vaccination. The arena’s mask mandate will still be in effect for everyone age two and up regardless of vaccination status unless they are eating or drinking.
Special sections will be set up for those who are cancer survivors or who have a compromised immune system.
The revised protocols will stay in place unless cases start to rise again and Cuban got an earful from angry leftists over the revision:
This is a really bad idea. Not only for covid spread but rewarding those that refuse to get vaxxed. 👎🏻
— I Live In The Dumbest Province (@AuntTeaPho) November 1, 2021
Wtf? People bought tickets thinking they were going to be in a safe environment.
— Papas Bala (@BalaPapas) November 1, 2021
What a total fraud you are!!!!!! I can’t believe I used to really respect you! pic.twitter.com/oWzJjL4Kks
— John Ziegler (@Zigmanfreud) November 1, 2021
So now you’re going to contribute to the inevitable Coronavirus winter outbreak so you can make a few extra bucks? After being all pro-vaccine? Lost a lot of respect for you sir. #markcuban #dallasmavericks #coronavirus #vaccinessavelives
— Donald (@trumphighcastle) November 1, 2021
I agree. But when cases fall low enough and we have put in a special section for cancer survivors and immunocompromised fans, we feel we are protecting our fans. If cases rise (they are down more than 70 pct since instituting the program) we will put it back on place.
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) November 1, 2021
The Mavericks began the season with the strictest fan policies concerning COVID of the three NBA teams in Texas. The Rockets and Spurs did not require any proof of vaccination, nor did they mandate masks when not actively eating or drinking.
The Stars, a hockey team that shares the arena with the Mavericks, also do not require proof of vaccination before a game but they do require masks when entering the stadium.
Dallas county updated its COVID threat level from “red,” or high risk of transmission, to “orange,” which means there’s a moderate risk to the community. Officials stated that positive cases have decreased in the county, which led to the subsequent downgrade in threat level.
“People are still getting vaccinated. Booster shots are becoming more prevalent. Cases are going down. Let’s hope people stay smart. Don’t want cases to go back up and have to re-institute the requirements,” Cuban tweeted.
Agree. People are still getting vaccinated. Booster shots are becoming more prevalent. Cases are going down. Let’s hope people stay smart. Don’t want cases to go back up and have to re-institute the requirements
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) November 1, 2021
Cuban has been among the more vocal NBA owners on COVID policies. He has waded in over private business vaccine mandates which Governor Abbott prohibited by executive order. The Mavericks owner has announced that he requires his employees to be vaccinated.
“It is your choice. It is absolutely, positively up to you. But there are consequences that come with that,” Cuban emphatically asserted during an appearance on “10 Questions with Kyle Brandt,” a Spotify podcast. “If you work for me, I require my employees to be vaccinated unless there’s a doctor’s reason where they can’t be. I don’t want my kids to be at risk, so the consequences of you not being vaccinated is I’m not going to shut the [expletive] up. I’m going to be in your mother[expletive] ear driving you mother[expletive] crazy.”
Fans from all sides sounded off over the revised rules:
I was able to get my season tickets I had previously cancelled back.
— I Can’t Stop Quoting I Think You Should Leave (@itysl_superfan) October 30, 2021
finnaly it was a pain to go get a negative test
— Victor 🏡 (@victorrmtx) October 30, 2021
About time
— jp (@jp_0037) October 30, 2021
Thank you. I am very pro vaccine, but I believe the situation has only gotten worse due to the mandates. We need to stop attacking each other and learn to coexist with one another again.
— Max Goof (@mphilliip49) November 1, 2021
Too late. I loved the Mavs. You aligned yourself with the actual fascists. I’ll never spend a cent on anything you touch.
— Jason (@LetsgoBran_Don) November 2, 2021
Smart… dollar is impacted and you pivot. You looked woked for awhile and some will still give you credit for that. Now, pivot and get that cash rolling back in. By the way… if I ever visit, I’ll be “eating” and “drinking” the whole time, trust me! 😂
— Joe49ersJoe (@Joe49ersJoe) November 1, 2021
This was never about science/safety, it was about virtue-signaling… which lost its appeal once it began to hurt the bottomline.
Interestingly, the new rules have the elite spectators as the most restricted, out of the hilarious prospect of a fan infecting a VACCINATED player!
— John Ziegler (@Zigmanfreud) November 1, 2021
@ClayTravis Wasn’t @mcuban so confident in this policy just a few short 6weeks ago or so. Nobody wants to admit their earlier mistakes re:covid and that is what causes public distrust.
— Jarod Speer (@jarod_speer) November 1, 2021
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