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The Toronto Raptors will begin the 2020-21 NBA season in Tampa, Florida, the team said in a statement Friday.
The Raptors have been unable to come to an agreement with the Canadian government on a plan to play their home games at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena amid the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, the team will play their games at Amalie Arena, home of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning.
An official familiar with the government decision told The Associated Press on Friday that there was too much COVID-19 in circulation in the United States to allow non-essential cross-border travel.
“The Raptors have worked diligently with public health officials at the local, provincial and federal levels to secure a plan that will allow us to play our 2020-2021 season at home and on our field at the Scotiabank Arena,” said the President of the Raptors, Masai Ujiri. in a report. “These conversations have been productive and we have found strong support for the protocols we offer.
“Ultimately, the current public health situation for Canadians, combined with the urgent need to determine where we will play, means we will begin our 2020-2021 season in Tampa, Florida.”
The Raptors and the NBA needed an exemption from the requirement that anyone entering Canada for non-essential reasons must self-isolate for 14 days. The Canada-US border remains closed to non-essential travel.
The Canadian government had considered a proposal from the NBA and the Raptors. The team had said they needed to know this week with a training camp less than two weeks away.
The official told The Associated Press that there was a chance the decision could be reconsidered at some point next year.
Stanley Cup Champion Lightning captain Steven Stamkos greeted his new neighbors on Twitter with a play on the familiar NBA team slogan.
“US SOUTH” ? https://t.co/hVHlJKItrh
– Steven Stamkos (@ RealStamkos91) November 20, 2020
Ujiri said the Raptors will continue to work with the Canadian government on a “safe return” plan to play in Toronto.
“So we will be away from home and our fans for now,” Ujiri said in the statement. “They say absence makes the heart more loving. I’m not sure that’s possible for us – we love Toronto and Canada, and we know we have the best fans in the NBA. As of yet, I will ask you to cheer us on from afar, and we look forward to the day when we all meet again. “
The Canadian federal government has rejected a request by the Major League Baseball Blue Jays to play in Toronto this year because health officials did not believe it was safe for players to travel from the United States.
Instead, the Blue Jays have played their home games in Buffalo, New York this season.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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