The Miami Heat have announced that the team’s fans will no longer have to deal with a mask mandate for home contests at FTX Arena.
Heat release adds, "Masking requirements for non-HEAT events will be subject to
promoter preference." https://t.co/e9SuDeMRAc— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) February 26, 2022
The “Red Zone,” which includes seats within 15 feet of the court, has approximately 700 seats available and will remain the lone area affected. The mask mandate was put in place to deal with health concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The state of Florida, led by Gov. Ron DeSantis, has made a concerted effort during much of the pandemic to emphasize freedom with regard to COVID-19 regulations.
That approach by DeSantis has led to some controversy, especially during the periodic surges that have taken place in regard to the pandemic. During the past few weeks, a decline in the number of cases across the country helped lead to the adjustment.
As for the Heat, they continue to thrive on the court. On Friday night, they went into Madison Square Garden and knocked off the New York Knicks by a score of 115-100.
The victory improved the Heat’s record to 39-21, a mark that ties them with the Chicago Bulls for the best record in the Eastern Conference. It also marked the Heat’s seventh win in their last eight games, a surge they’re surely hoping to continue in the weeks and months ahead.
The Heat are set to be back in action at FTX Arena on Saturday night against the San Antonio Spurs. After that, Miami will play host to the Bulls in a very important matchup on Monday night.
