The Toronto Raptors will begin the 2020-21 NBA season in Tampa, Florida, the team said in a statement on Friday.
The Raptors were unable to reach an agreement with the Canadian government on a plan for their home games at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto amid the coronavirus pandemic. The team will instead play their games at Amalie Arena, home of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning.
An official familiar with the government’s decision told The Associated Press on Friday that there was too much COVID-19 floating around the United States to allow for cross-border travel that is not strictly necessary.
“The Raptors worked diligently with public health officials at the local, provincial and federal levels to come up with a plan that would allow us to play our 2020-21 season on home soil and on our home pitch at Scotiabank Arena,” Masai Ujiri, president of the Raptors, said in a statement. “These conversations were productive and we found strong support for the protocols we proposed.
“Ultimately, Canadians’ current public health situation, coupled with an urgent need to determine where we will play, means we will begin our 2020-21 season in Tampa, Florida.”
The Raptors and the NBA needed an exception to the requirement that anyone entering Canada for non-essential reasons must be isolated for 14 days. The border between the United States and Canada remains closed for unnecessary travel.
The Canadian government had considered a proposal from the NBA and the Raptors. The team had said it should know in less than two weeks with the training camp this week.
The official told The Associated Press that the decision could potentially be reviewed sometime next year.
Steven Stamkos, the captain of Stanley Cup champion Lightning, greeted his new neighbors on Twitter with a game based on the famous NBA team slogan.
“WE THE SOUTH” ???? https://t.co/hVHlJKItrh
– Steven Stamkos (@ RealStamkos91) 20th November 2020
Ujiri said the Raptors would continue to work with the Canadian government on a “safe return” plan to play in Toronto.
“So we will be away from our home and our fans for the time being,” said Ujiri in the statement. “They say absence makes the heart beat faster. I’m not sure if that’s possible for us – we love Toronto and Canada and we know we have the best fans in the NBA. Right now I’m going to ask you to cheer each other from afar, and we look forward to the day when we will all be together again. “
The Canadian federal government turned down a request from Major League Baseball’s Blue Jays to play in Toronto that year because health officials didn’t believe it was safe for players to travel back and forth from the U.S.
The Blue Jays instead played their home games that season in Buffalo, New York.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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