SEATTLE — Everyone ages 12 and over attending an event at Climate Pledge Arena, including Seattle Kraken games, will need to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination before entering the arena.
The Seattle Kraken and Climate Pledge Arena announced the vaccination policy Tuesday morning.
According to a press release, the Kraken and Climate Pledge Arena are expected to “introduce a seamless and convenient process to allow guests to show proof of full vaccination via their smartphones.”
Guests will also be required to wear a mask while attending any event at the arena due to Washington state’s universal indoor mask mandate.
“On March 1, 2018, we started this amazing journey together to build a new arena under a historical roof and bring the 32nd NHL franchise to Seattle,” said Seattle Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke. “We are now poised to open Climate Pledge Arena and celebrate together, at capacity, in an environment that is safe for our fans, staff, players and artists.”
All contractors along with full-and-part time employees are also required to be fully vaccinated.
Leiweke acknowledged other professional clubs already made the decision for vaccination status and that the club's feedback suggested it do it too.
"There's a strong desire to get back and to cheer and gather, and we feel an obligation to provide a safe environment," he told KING 5. "There's been thousands of people that have died. This is serious. We've taken it serious. There's nothing more fundamental and more important than telling someone they're going to come to the venue and be safe."
Leiweke said part of that will include a hospital-grade HVAC system and contact free concessions. Leiweke said it's expected that 100% of the players will also be vaccinated by the start of training camp this month. The Kraken will likely use an app-based service to streamline the process.
When asked if unvaccinated fans can get refunds, Leiweke said, "There might be folks that say, hey, I just choose not to do this. There's certainly a robust secondary market, the Kraken have an amazing, amazing waiting list. So if someone felt strongly enough, they would be able to turn to secondary ticket marketing and find lots of buyers willing to step up."
A person is considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19 two weeks after their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or two weeks after receiving the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Guests visiting the Kraken Community Iceplex in Northgate or shopping at the team store do not need to provide proof of vaccination but will be required to wear masks.
The Seattle Kraken’s first home game in franchise history is scheduled for October 23, 2021. The Eagles are also set to perform at Climate Pledge Arena on November 5 and 6.