NBA

For the first time since the start of the pandemic, basketball fans in South Florida will once again be able to watch a game in person. But before Miami Heat fans can enter the arena, they'll be greeted by specially trained dogs who can detect COVID-19 by scent.

When they moved to Florida in March, Aarti and Mayur Patel had no idea they moved at the perfect time to see their favorite team.

For the first time in months, fans will head inside Amalie Arena for the Toronto Raptors first game. The NBA team is calling Tampa its temporary home for a while.

Just like last year, the Toronto Raptors are opening the season at home, against the New Orleans Pelicans, and every available ticket for the game has been sold. It’s exactly the same. And entirely different.

For the first time in nearly nine months, Amalie Arena will reopen for a sporting event on Friday.

Amalie Arena in Tampa will begin playing host to the Toronto Raptors and tickets for those home games went on sale Thursday morning.

When Toronto tips-off in Tampa, Amalie Arena won't be completely silent -- and Matt Shapiro wants it that way.

The Raptors will be calling Tampa home for the next few months due to COVID-19 restrictions in Canada. Training camp begins for them at St. Leo University on Tuesday.

Raptors president Masai Ujiri confirmed Thursday on CBC Radio that Canada's travel restrictions could put a crimp in their ability to use their home arena. He said they would consider Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, Nashville, Louisville, Kansas City, Newark, and Buffalo.