The Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers are the latest two teams to get impacted by the sweeping trend of franchises requiring their players to get vaccinated. Up until now, San Francisco and New York City had required their players to be fully vaccinated in order to play home games—and now, both Laker and Clipper players will have to as well.
But it’s not just players that will now be impacted by this news. Any fan entering Staples Center to attend a Lakers or Clippers will have to provide proof of being vaccinated. However, there is a slight difference between the rules surrounding the fans and the players.
For instance, a fan can request exemption from the vaccination if they either have a medical condition or if they have a sincere religious obligation that prevents them from getting it. In these cases, these particular fans would have to provide a negative COVID-19 test from within 72 hours prior to the game. This isn’t a privilege that players are awarded.
The NBA has repeatedly shown their willingness to comply with health regulations to ensure the safest possible experience for players, fans, and all staff—and clearly, more and more cities are stepping up to the occasion to show that they too are on board.
