The Miami Heat Will Have Vaccinated-Only Stadium Seats

The Miami Heat basketball stadium will have a section designated only for folks who are vaccinated.

Let the COVID-19 vaccine hierarchy begin! No, but seriously, you might be hatin’ from the outside and not able to get into Miami Heat’s exclusive section for vaccinated fans.

On Tuesday, The Heat announced that it would be opening two sections in its lower bowl that will only be available to vaccinated attendees. That section will open on April 1 for Heat’s game against The Golden State Warriors. However, like the rest of the stadium, people in the vaccinated area will still have to wear masks but, the rules will be laxer. Social distancing, for example, won’t be as enforced as it will be outside of that area.

According to NBC New York, the Miami Heat is the first NBA team to reveal this plan. The outlet reports that other teams and stadiums are expected to follow suit.

Last week, the NBA told teams that the sections would be allowed as long as they follow along with state and local safety guidelines. Fans placed in seats within 30 feet of the court will have to take a PCR test two days before the game or an approved antigen test on the day of the game.

“You’re already getting a sense that things are starting to change and go in a much more positive direction,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “Just the environment in our building, I remember those first couple games we had at the beginning of the year when there was literally nobody here, that was an eerie experience.”

If you’re vaccinated and plan on attending, you will have to show your Centers for Disease Control vaccination card or some other form of proof. Vaccinated fans must be vaccinated for at least 14 days in order to qualify for vaccinated seating. “Things are moving,” Spoelstra said. “All of us can’t wait until we get our building full again, and same thing for other arena.”