More and more pro sports teams could be competing in empty arenas going forward, but Vegas Golden Knights forward Reilly Smith doesn’t seem to mind too much.
And he has his reasons.
Concerns over the Coronavirus have already forced teams in Europe to play in front of spectators and North American cities are starting to follow their neighbour’s lead. The Golden State Warriors officially announced they will be closing their doors to fans for Friday night’s home game against the Brooklyn Nets and it looks like the San Jose Sharks might follow their lead. Vegas Golden Knights forward was asked about his thoughts on playing under the same circumstances and he made sure to mention he essentially already did it…
… While playing in Florida as a Panther.
Ouch Reilly… ouch!
Florida averaged just 15,384 and 14,567 fans respectively during Smith’s tenure with the Panthers from 2015-2017. This year’s been no different, as the Cats currently sit third last in the league with an average of 14,104. And they’re just three points out of a playoff spot!!!!
If you’re wondering what a game looks like in front of no fans, here’s a recent picture from Juventus taking on Inter Milan. Pretty eerie scene…
We’ll have to wait and see how other teams from around the league approach the issue. But yikes, what a roast.
(H/T Justin Emerson)
