NBA in Person in 2021: Same Same but Different
For the first time in about a year, my father and I finally returned to Barclays Center to see my beloved Brooklyn Nets take on the Charlotte Hornets. With new health and safety protocols in place the Nets and Barclays Center have been allowing fans since mid-February to return to the stands. At a reduced capacity the environment and vibe within the stadium surely would be different from games played a year ago with a full stadium, but to what extent?
The Nets new throwback court, with limited seating capacity due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Coming into the stadium was more of a process than it usually was. To enter the stadium all attending fans were required to take a PCR COVID test 3 days prior to the game or were required to show proof of a second dose received with a minimum of 2 weeks time having separated the two. My father only received the first dose, requiring him to go to a testing facility 2 days before the game for said test. I was luckier, due to my job being considered front-line I was able to secure my doses long enough before the game to avoid a PCR test. Walking in, the first step was taking your temperature. Following that we were directed to two lines, one for people with a CLEAR membership and those without. My father had a membership, but I did not, requiring me to wait in a longer line.
Following this line, things were relatively normal getting in, metal detectors, hulking security guards aplenty who seemed relaxed yet you knew they held control in the area. Tickets scanned, and we’re in! A very polite man hands me a Nets branded mask in packaging that I have yet to open. Cavernous halls and empty food stands once sprawling with people welcome us.
With seating every few rows, the lack of fans was noticeable but not a complete disaster.
We make our way up to our seats in the upper deck, the reasonably priced seats as I like to call them. But, I was used to those seats, I love sitting that high up, frankly. The view of the entire court mixed with the ambiance of the non-corporate fans. There’s a group of rowdy fans behind us that heckle the Hornets players and sing praise upon the Nets players seemingly every time up and down the court. Due to lack of fans in the stadium, the players probably heard most of their noise as well! This invokes memories of when the Nets were terrible and tickets for their games would be under $5.
“They Reminisce Over You” plays over the loudspeaker as the Nets take the floor for warm-ups. The Hornets are already out there, but the volume in the stadium raises when the Nets arrive. I notice there’s less security on the court than usual, but that makes sense because of fewer fans sitting in proximity to the court. Next, player intros for the Nets, here is where I found the fan noise to be the loudest, whether it was pumped in or Nets fans having shown up to cheer, it didn’t make a difference, it felt close to normal. Barclays Center and the Nets were forced to be creative due to lack of fans, so drums played by ”hype teams” were heard throughout the game that reminded me of how European soccer fans cheer on their teams. Stages were set up on both sides of the court where open space used to be located, this was for the hype team and other cheerleaders to have music video style dance montages during game breaks.
As play begins the Nets jump out to a commanding lead of 32-11, things are exciting, yet due to the lack of a close game, the noise level never had an opportunity for true levels of hype and electricity in the arena. There was a single moment when Jeff Green dunked by Gordon Hayward that elicited a big “ohhhhhh” throughout the crowd. Other than this, the crowd remained relatively muted due to health and safety protocols limiting the number of fans in the arena. On free throw attempts the Nets used to hand out noisemakers in an attempt to distract opposing players from making their free throws, they no longer do. Instead, they have their hype teams bang on their drums to try and replicate the noise. During game breaks the usual cheerleaders and t-shirt toss are absent from the court, not necessarily something I missed, but another reminder of the lack of normalcy.
As the game carried on I noticed the ambient crowd noise that was being pumped in through the stadium’s speakers in an attempt to have a sense of normalcy in the crowd, but again, because of lack of fans and exciting moments in the game, it was more and more noticeable as the game carried on.
At halftime, I decided I wanted to walk around for a bit to see how the once-packed halls would be during COVID restrictions. In the past, people would be stacked wall to wall in an attempt to use the bathroom or to grab some food or beer. Now, it was like walking through an abandoned school hallway. I selfishly benefited from this though as long lines for food and the bathroom are a thing of the past, or at least until COVID restrictions are lessened.
Socially distanced urinals!
Overall I found that my experience was not too far from what used to be. Being back in the arena was most of the joy for me. I found that even though fans weren’t as present, it was still a similar environment to what used to be. As restrictions continue to lessen due to people getting their vaccinations, I look forward to the day I can be in a sold out arena screaming with my fellow fans for our Nets. I would implore anyone who can to go see a game, watching on TV isn’t the same and it is not even close.
