The Golden State Warriors are in the midst of installing large-sized courtside LED screens, similar to the ones we saw in the NBA’s Orlando “bubble” a few months ago, sources recently told LetsGoWarriors. (Photo: NBA)
There has been “a lot of floor maintenance” going on in the lower bowl at Chase Center, complete with signs indicating hard hat areas.
Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob recently submitted a proposal to the San Francisco COVID Command Center to allow around 9,000 fans into Chase, but it was rejected. Yet it has been known that fans would not be allowed near the players regardless, especially courtside seats, so the decision was made to allow for virtual fans to be onscreen, as seen during the Orlando Bubble.
(Photo: David Dow/NBAE Getty Images)
Coincidentally with news of this development, the Warriors debuted their “Oakland Forever” initiative yesterday to promote Nike’s “The City” line of NBA team uniforms that mostly have a nostalgic feel. This jersey is a (somewhat controversial) call-back to the #WeBelieve era, complete with various other apparel matching the theme from head to toe, even including a new court design and community court refurbishment initiative:
The “Oakland Forever” court design, as released by the Warriors, includes what appears to be an arena’s overhead lighting reflections, but a Warriors representative told us that what they released was a rendered graphic and not a picture of a real court. This means the main floor at Chase Center does not look like this right now — as it shouldn’t, being a hard hat area with digital screen installations going on:
(Court design graphic provided by the Warriors.)
There have also been murmurs of games not being held at all at Chase for the foreseeable future during this critical period of a surging pandemic, but LetsGoWarriors does not have any more intel to report at this time as to where the team would play if it were not allowed to host home games at Chase Center.
The NBA recently released the #NBAXmas Games as well as the Opening Night schedules. The Warriors will travel to Brooklyn for their first regular season game against Kevin Durant’s Nets on December 22, 2020, then make their way to Milwaukee for a showdown against Giannis Antetokuonmpo and the Bucks on Christmas for an afternoon game (2:30PM CST).
Stephen Curry even joked the other day that he’ll be trying to figure out what to do in Milwaukee for Christmas:
Lacob seems to have struck some good fortune in delaying any start of home games at Chase Center — if they are at Chase Center — until after the Warriors get back from this yet-to-be-finalized Eastern road trip. The NBA has not released details of any more games than just those through December 25, 2020, and with Opening Night less than three weeks away, the situation obviously remains fluid.
Not crazy about the fans on screen, but I think it’s better than a bunch of empty seats and probably reminds the players that their fans are cheering them on.
If the games aren't at Chase, my guess is they would not be in Oakland or Santa Cruz and maybe not in California, since the restrictions would presumably be the same anywhere near the Bay Area. No?
Great article and intel! It’s great to see Oakland get its due yet wish it had happened in Oakland.
Nice scoop, Commish!
I'm pretty meh about the screens - don't love em, don't hate 'em; but also don't really think they add much to my viewing experience.
But THIS.... this is pretty wild
> There have also been murmurs of games not being held at all at Chase for the foreseeable future during this critical period of a surging pandemic
Back to Oakland?
Santa Cruz?
All-time away games?
These games are not that far out!
Cool scoops, Rich!
Not crazy about the fans on screen, but I think it’s better than a bunch of empty seats and probably reminds the players that their fans are cheering them on.
If the games aren't at Chase, my guess is they would not be in Oakland or Santa Cruz and maybe not in California, since the restrictions would presumably be the same anywhere near the Bay Area. No?
Well, that's an “if” of an “if”. First half of schedule was released today. No mention of not having games at Chase. I think we might be good to go.
Aaaaaand RIGHT when I write that, here's something that might affect Chase after all. Nvm! Carry on! Speculation warranted! https://twitter.com/Con_Chron/status/1334973862161747968?s=19
I updated the schedule article with this
But one follow up to Attilla above is that Oakland wouldn't be the answer here either - since that county is also doing the early mandatory lockdown.
Super interested to see what happens with training camp - not even worried about January yet!
Exactly, this is a "49ers playing home games in Arizona" situation we're talking about.
(No inside info, but it seems really obvious?)
Situation seemingly has been resolved per SF Chronicle: https://twitter.com/poormanscommish/status/1334993441747451904?s=19
Annnd I saw this after I commented. This is good news. Now if the team can just stay healthy....
That was my thought. I am thinking outside of CA. That is, unless the season gets suspended completely. Without a bubble, I wouldn't bet against that.
Nice scoop PMC!
I erroneously used the acronym LCD instead of LED in the original post 🤦🏻♂️