page_title: COVID-19 pandemic in Portland, Oregon
section_title: Impact on professional sports
hierarchical_section_title: COVID-19 pandemic in Portland, Oregon / Economic impact / Business closures and event cancellations / Impact on professional sports
caption_attribution_description: Notice taped in the window of Providence Park's box office (in Portland, Oregon) indicating that the box office – and in effect the stadium itself, the same as all other major event venues in Portland and many other places – is indefinitely closed, to prevent the spread of the coronavirus/COVID-19.
context_page_description: The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached Portland in the U.S. state of Oregon on February 28, 2020.
context_section_description: Following season suspensions by the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Major League Soccer (MLS), the Portland Trail Blazers and Portland Timbers canceled games. The Trail Blazers and Timbers games averaged approximately 19,000 and 25,000 people at the time. MLS initially announced a 30-day suspension, when the Timbers were scheduled to play at Providence Park five times between March 12 and mid April. The soccer league extended the suspension to eight weeks on March 19. The Portland Thorns FC's pre-season tournament slated for March 29 – April 4 was canceled on March 12, shortly before the National Women's Soccer League canceled pre-season games across the league. Timbers and Thorns tickets will be valid for rescheduled matches, as of March 12. On March 17, the Timbers and Thorns announced part-time workers would still receive compensation for canceled games, among other community initiatives.
  Damian Lillard encouraged fans to remain at home and practice social distancing. He said on the NBA's Instagram account on March 23, "I've been washing my hands, social distancing — keep your space. Don't join in crowds, stay in small groups. It'd be best to stay in the house. I hope everybody is stocked up on everything they need so they can stay safe. Do everything the way we've been asked to help this pass faster. Like I said, ya'll stay safe, ya'll be good, man." Governor Brown and CJ McCollum appeared in a public service announcement to teach children about the disease and how to prevent transmission.
caption: Box office closure sign at Providence Park, home of the Portland Timbers and Portland Thorns FC, on March 16, 2020
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