WEEI Mayor Marty Walsh says TD Garden might have fans back by February or March

[Fenway]

Impressed by what he characterized as “some really great protocols” implemented at TD Garden, Boston mayor Marty Walsh said Wednesday morning during a radio interview that the TD Garden is “trying to shoot for February or March” to welcome fans back inside the Causeway Street arena.

Walsh, appearing on WEEI’s Greg Hill Show for some 30 minutes, did not offer details about specific protocols, but noted he came away impressed after a recent tour of the shuttered building in the old West End.

“It’s really amazing what they’ve done,” Walsh said during the interview. “I walked around. I was really impressed with it. I’m hoping we get fans back.”

RELATED: Ions, air filters, and Bluetooth monitors: How TD Garden plans to host Celtics games in the COVID-19 era

GHS - Mayor Walsh Returns To The Show And Discussed Boston's Covid Plans 12-16-2020​

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[TD Charlie]

The contact tracing wrist bands sound pretty cool. I still have no desire or plans to return to work in the building until this all blows over. Not a chance.

 

[Seidenbergy]

"Some really great protocols" = generous donation to someone's reelection fund.

 

[4ORRBRUIN]

I find this a little hard to believe with all that's still going on

 

[Seidenbergy]

I find this a little hard to believe with all that's still going on

Seriously....outdoor Gillette is still a no-go, gyms are closing again, bars and restaurants in Boston can't have more than like 2 people in them for 90 mins, but the garden might be ok? So much for the science.

 

[Absurdity]

Jacobs should just buy a Walmart and build a rink in it.

All joking aside, I can't see it happening. Maybe in time for the playoffs in April/May, but I would say that is probably a longshot as well.

 

[DarrenBanks56]

i could see them having half capacity by then. why not??
if you dont want to go, dont go. Im sure people going imto work every day would go. no doubt.

 

[sarge88]

I’ll probably be a buyer if STH’s are looking to sell tickets.

 

[BigGoalBrad]

At some point we are going to have to come out of this thing and get back on with life.

A few thousand fans in the Garden for games will be a good starting point. Drastic cuts to the MBTA are already hitting. A lot of jobs revolve around folks going to Bruins and Celtics games.

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

It sounds far fetched given the vaccine rollout is only just beginning, but I’m willing to take a look at any possibilities as long as they are coming from a place of consciousness and thought, and not dismissal of the current situation altogether. From what it sounds like, this isn’t the latter.

From the beginning of this thing, there’s been way too much bitching from the extreme sides. You’ve got people who don’t want to move a muscle and throw away any ideas of adaptation because it doesn’t for sure always 100% prohibit the spread of the virus. Then you’ve got those who say that this is stupid, let’s just go back to normal, you’re all a bunch of “sheeple” blah, blah, blah.

As usual, the answer lies somewhere in between. Sounds like steps are being taken to keep this as safe as possible, while hopefully providing some positivity for local communities and the public.

If people, and those that control these things, can approach this in a constructive, responsible, collective manner, I see no reason not to entertain and be excited about the possibility of seeing a percentage of fans in the stands sooner than maybe we originally thought possible.

 

[Fenway]

At some point we are going to have to come out of this thing and get back on with life.

A few thousand fans in the Garden for games will be a good starting point. Drastic cuts to the MBTA are already hitting. A lot of jobs revolve around folks going to Bruins and Celtics games.

I'm working 3 Celtics games in the next week and I will roll the dice with the T to get back to Hampton. The last train to Newburyport is 10:38 PM

 

[yazmybaby]

The contact tracing wrist bands sound pretty cool. I still have no desire or plans to return to work in the building until this all blows over. Not a chance.

Very smart,
This virus spreads so easily.
I am not attending any live sports event until at least 70% of persons are vaccinated.
Not worth it.

 

[Tonysil]

Very smart,
This virus spreads so easily.
I am not attending any live sports event until at least 70% of persons are vaccinated.
Not worth it.

I'm just trying to figure this out. You want 70% of people to get vaccinated but not you, because then it wouldn't matter who else was.

 

[yazmybaby]

It sounds far fetched given the vaccine rollout is only just beginning, but I’m willing to take a look at any possibilities as long as they are coming from a place of consciousness and thought, and not dismissal of the current situation altogether. From what it sounds like, this isn’t the latter.

From the beginning of this thing, there’s been way too much bitching from the extreme sides. You’ve got people who don’t want to move a muscle and throw away any ideas of adaptation because it doesn’t for sure always 100% prohibit the spread of the virus. Then you’ve got those who say that this is stupid, let’s just go back to normal, you’re all a bunch of “sheeple” blah, blah, blah.

As usual, the answer lies somewhere in between. Sounds like steps are being taken to keep this as safe as possible, while hopefully providing some positivity for local communities and the public.

If people, and those that control these things, can approach this in a constructive, responsible, collective manner, I see no reason not to entertain and be excited about the possibility of seeing a percentage of fans in the stands sooner than maybe we originally thought possible.

This virus is brutal, spreads so easily.
I live in Ontario, we were at a daily high number of around 2700 cases in May, now in December we are seeing 6900 cases each day now.
Hospitals are overloaded.
Some areas are in a 4 week lockdown now, not good.
People are not following the social distancing / mask wearing rules and not attending a gathering indoors of more than 10 people.
I hope we get this under control by mid Jan.
How is it in your area?

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

This virus is brutal, spreads so easily.
I live in Ontario, we were at a daily high number of around 2700 cases in May, now in December we are seeing 6900 cases each day now.
Hospitals are overloaded.
Some areas are in a 4 week lockdown now, not good.
People are not following the social distancing / mask wearing rules and not attending a gathering indoors of more than 10 people.
I hope we get this under control by mid Jan.
How is it in your area?

I am in Massachusetts. Positivity rate has been pretty much stuck at 6% for 2 weeks. Depending on how many tests get reported, it’s 3k-6k cases per day. New hospitalization rates seems to be slowing *a tad*, but that could be negligible. In that respect, I and am my fellow citizens are in a good part of the world as this part of the country has a very high hospital capacity per capita.

Relative to the situation, as someone who hasn’t been knowingly infected, the one real negative that stands out is it has become a hassle to obtain a test once again if you do not have symptoms. Demand for tests is way up during the holidays and they don’t have the capacity.

As expected, it’s pretty much down to individual people to be smart and look out for the collective well-being of society by basing actions off of actual science and not a desire political agenda. As we all know, it’s far from a 100% compliance rate on that end.

 

[talkinaway]

Very smart,
This virus spreads so easily.
I am not attending any live sports event until at least 70% of persons are vaccinated.
Not worth it.

That's exactly my threshold. Sports are a luxury - the epitome of a "want", not a "need". I think a lot of people are blur those distinctions in their daily life, and taking account of that can make you more thankful for what you have, AND make sure that you seek out that which you genuinely need.

I take the T in to see games, so there's no way I'm stepping on that and going to the Garden just for giggles until:

1) I have been vaccinated - two doses plus whatever time lag is required after the second dose for full immunity (probably another month)
2) 70% of the population has been vaccinated
3) COVID indicators (% positivity, number of daily active cases) are down
4) I'm personally convinced that the Garden is "doing a good job"

By my guesstimates, I might be vaccinated in April - either late Phase 2 or Phase 3. That's first dose. May for second, June for full immunity for me. It might take another month or two to hit 70%. I'll watch the games from my chair. It's more comfortable, the food and beverage selection is better (and cheaper!), and there are no lines to go to the bathroom. Plus nobody behind me yelling SHOOOOOOOOOOOT.

 

[Fenway]

I think aliens have kidnapped JJ

Media is being offered FREE PARKING in the TD garage for Celtics games

 

[TD Charlie]

I think aliens have kidnapped JJ

Media is being offered FREE PARKING in the TD garage for Celtics games

i have received free parking TWICE in five years, for mandatory training done off hours

 

[JOKER 192]

Very smart,
This virus spreads so easily.
I am not attending any live sports event until at least 70% of persons are vaccinated.
Not worth it.

You realize that may never happen right?

 

[JOKER 192]

This virus is brutal, spreads so easily.
I live in Ontario, we were at a daily high number of around 2700 cases in May, now in December we are seeing 6900 cases each day now.
Hospitals are overloaded.
Some areas are in a 4 week lockdown now, not good.
People are not following the social distancing / mask wearing rules and not attending a gathering indoors of more than 10 people.
I hope we get this under control by mid Jan.
How is it in your area?

Really don't think that is happening. The general public won't be getting the vaccine until late spring early summer in Canada. Hopefully they prioritize it right but after Christmas and New Years (there will be people getting together regardless of what governments say and expect) it doesn't bode well for getting things under control by mid Jan. Really hope it happens though. I think it gets a lot worse before it gets better.

 

[Fenway]

Really don't think that is happening. The general public won't be getting the vaccine until late spring early summer in Canada. Hopefully they prioritize it right but after Christmas and New Years (there will be people getting together regardless of what governments say and expect) it doesn't bode well for getting things under control by mid Jan. Really hope it happens though. I think it gets a lot worse before it gets better.

I want to see what kind of system they have in place to prove you have the vaccine?

Health Canada plans an app with a barcode but what they plan in the US is anyone's guess

 

[roflstomper]

I want to see what kind of system they have in place to prove you have the vaccine?

Health Canada plans an app with a barcode but what they plan in the US is anyone's guess

At the current point in time there is no argument of any type of vaccination proof plan. Why? Because 1. They have no idea if these vaccines stop you from actually getting covid 2. You allegedly can still be contagious with a vaccination and 3. Sone state surgeon generals are saying they are planning as if you only get 2 months immunity with this first vaccine.

So if you can still get it (but not get severely ill), may hypothetically be able to spread it still and have no idea how long vaccination is good for you cannot possible think preventing someone from flying or attending an event if they aren't vaccinated, because they might get sick, makes any sense.

Vaccination is for the individual. Vaccine probably doesn't change the fact everyone is getting covid but changes the game in how many people are actually go to get very ill and die. Once all the vulnerable get vaccinated in a few months and the rest of the general population has had it in some large percentage we can move on from this finally.

 

[Fenway]

 

[talkinaway]

I think aliens have kidnapped JJ

Media is being offered FREE PARKING in the TD garage for Celtics games

I got deeply discounted parking a couple of times at the Garden, I think. I can't remember the app, but it's that parking app that's used in a lot of places. SpotPark? ParkSpot? SpotHub? Cripes, I sound like a Patriots coach.

It's usually more expensive, but I got a spot at the Garden for fairly cheap (like $10-$15) on a game night - because they hadn't put the Bruins schedule into the system yet.

Patriots had free parking for everyone last year....which, of course, didn't actually happen.

Still, I have to say, props to JJ for doing the right thing in this particular instance. I get that there's normally a limited number of spaces at TD Garden, so supply and demand dictates the parking prices are pretty high, but because that's no longer the case, he's doing the right thing morally and financially. I'm normally all for encouraging public transport, but not this year.

 

[Fenway]

At the current point in time there is no argument of any type of vaccination proof plan. Why? Because 1. They have no idea if these vaccines stop you from actually getting covid 2. You allegedly can still be contagious with a vaccination and 3. Sone state surgeon generals are saying they are planning as if you only get 2 months immunity with this first vaccine.

So if you can still get it (but not get severely ill), may hypothetically be able to spread it still and have no idea how long vaccination is good for you cannot possible think preventing someone from flying or attending an event if they aren't vaccinated, because they might get sick, makes any sense.

Vaccination is for the individual. Vaccine probably doesn't change the fact everyone is getting covid but changes the game in how many people are actually go to get very ill and die. Once all the vulnerable get vaccinated in a few months and the rest of the general population has had it in some large percentage we can move on from this finally.

Look back to March 1st when a leading expert said on NBC - MASKS DON'T HELP

Coronavirus outbreak: Top infectious disease specialist answers your questions

He has since changed his opinion

I'm just tired of the people who continue to say this isn't bad or worse call it a hoax.

Right now in Los Angeles, there are ZERO ICU beds

ICU Capacity Drops to 0% in Southern California Region as Coronavirus Cases Soar

All I can say is when my turn comes I will take the vaccine.

I am also pretty certain how this will play out - In a few months insurance companies will rule if you were eligible for the vaccine and declined - they will NOT PAY if you come down with COVID and need treatment.