Miami Heat Redefines VIP in COVID Era, Creates Section for Vaccinated

Vaccinated fans have the luxury of watching the Miami Heat play with floor seats.

What We Know:

• Starting April 1, people who have proof from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that they have been treated with the COVID-19 shot in the last 14 days will get to enter the American Airlines Arena from a separate gate. They will also have “vaccine verified” wristbands and directed to their seats.
• The team has issued a statement about the opportunity. They said the seats will be located in sections 117-118 and pods will be separated by one seat. Guests in the area will still have to wear masks, as a health precaution. Those sitting within 30 feet of the court will also undergo an on-site rapid test prior to entering. They will then be cleared by the arena’s testing provider.
• Tickets bought for the vaccinated section are non-refundable and can’t be sold. If a guest is bringing a party, everyone also has to show proof they have received the shot(s). They have released a list of home games for which fans can buy tickets.
• The team is facing scrutiny from public health officials for this decision. Summer Johnson McGee, Dean of the University of New Haven’s School of Health Sciences, said the policy is discriminating against those who have not gained immunity to the coronavirus. She also says it’s unfair to those who are choosing not to get the vaccine due to medical or religious exemptions.

“Incentives may give some the impression that they need to be bribed in order to vaccinate, which unintentionally may suggest that there is something concerning or unsafe about these vaccines,” said McGee.

• Dr. Carlos del Rio, Executive Associate Dean of Emery University School of Medicine, says the floor seats reinforce “the world of have and have-not’s.” He also says there is no clear way of proving someone has been treated. del Rio says anyone can forge a paper that states they were vaccinated.

As of right now, the Miami Heat is playing for crowds of around 4,000 people. Coach Erik Spoelstra stated the small audience has changed the mood of American Airlines Arena; he said it makes him feel like things are changing and moving towards a positive direction. According to the National Basketball Association (NBA), the basketball team is the first one to create vaccine-only sections for their fans.