Vaccine proof, negative test will be required for Chicago Bulls, Blackhawks home games

Chicago’s professional basketball and hockey teams will require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to attend home games. 

The United Center, the venue that hosts both the Chicago Bulls’ and the Blackhawks’ home games, announced the new requirement on Thursday. The requirement also applies to all other events held at the venue, including big-name concerts.

UPDATE: The United Center will require all event attendees, including fans at @ChicagoBulls and @NHLBlackhawks games, to present proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to gain access to the arena.

For more info, please visit: https://t.co/jxcR1lHtJP pic.twitter.com/DJw9IERUaR

— United Center (@UnitedCenter) September 2, 2021

“The decision to implement proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test is representative of the continued commitment to providing the best environment for a safe return for all fans and employees. This new entrance process will go into effect for all future events and will remain in place until further notice,” the venue said in a press release.

The United Center acknowledged that finalized COVID-19 guidelines for the National Basketball Association (NBA) or National Hockey League (NHL) had not been announced yet, adding “these protocols are still subject to potential league requirements, and the Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks may communicate additional details to their fans as the season approaches.”

The announcement comes as Chicago implements safety measures and protocols to combat further COVID-19 transmission. In mid-August, the city announced that it would require people to wear facial coverings indoors again amid a rising number of COVID-19 cases due, in part, to the highly transmissible delta variant. 

According to data from the city of Chicago, the city has seen a total of 5,811 deaths between March 1, 2020, and Sept. 1, 2021. In that time frame, Chicago reported over 29,000 hospitalizations and over 303,000 cases.

The city reported a daily COVID-19 count of 189 new cases on Tuesday and 355 new cases on Monday.

In June, cases remained largely in the double digits. 

As of Sept. 1, roughly 71 percent of people aged 12 years and older in Chicago have gotten at least one dose of the vaccine, while 65 percent have completed their vaccination series, per city data.