Maryland Athletics announces new requirements for indoor sporting events

Maryland Athletics announced Monday morning that it will implement a vaccine requirement, going into effect on Jan. 9, 2022.

According to the release, attendees 12 years of age and older must provide either proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test within 48 hours of the game to enter the Xfinity Center.

Sports currently being played at the Xfinity Center include men’s and women’s basketball, wrestling and gymnastics.

At the end of December, Maryland men’s basketball announced enhanced safety protocols for its home games on Dec. 28 and Dec. 30 such as concessions being closed, increased enforcement of masks and allowing seat relocations for fans who would like to move to less-populated spaces.

The latest update states that concessions will remain closed until Jan. 8 for men’s basketball, women’s basketball and wrestling, since those are the teams with events in the building from Jan. 3 to Jan. 8. On Jan. 9, once this new vaccine requirement goes into effect, concessions will reopen.

The indoor mask-wearing requirement also remains in effect.

Per the release, to gain entry into Xfinity Center fans must provide either a coronavirus vaccination card, a picture of a vaccination card, a screenshot of a vaccination record from a pharmacy or a screenshot of test results of either PCR or rapid antigen tests. The release states that home tests will not be accepted as proof of a negative test.

The release also states that fans 18 and older should be prepared to show a photo ID.

Maryland men’s basketball had a game canceled Dec. 28 due to coronavirus protocols within the Loyola (Md.) program and Maryland women’s basketball had a game postponed initially scheduled for Dec. 30 against Illinois due to positive tests within the Illini program.

The next team scheduled to use the Xfinity Center is women’s basketball which is set to host Penn State Thursday, Jan. 6 at 6 p.m. Wrestling has a matchup at home against the Nittany Lions the following day and then the first team to play with these requirements is men’s basketball.

The Maryland men’s basketball team is set to host Wisconsin Jan. 9. The women’s basketball team is set to play Jan. 9 as well but away so their first home matchup with the new requirements in effect is set for Jan. 16 against Michigan.

Gymnastics does not host an opponent until Jan. 22 when Rutgers will visit the Xfinity Center.