NBA to require all referees to be vaccinated

Barring certain exemptions, every NBA referee on the floor next season will be vaccinated.

The NBA announced Saturday that it has reached an agreement with the National Basketball Referees Association to require all referees be vaccinated for the 2021-22 season, unless they have a medical or religious exemption, as well as any recommended boosters.

Referees who do not get vaccinated will be ineligible to work games.

The announcement adds another group to the growing list of NBA employees required to be vaccinated. It was reported on Friday that the league will require vaccinations for all employees who interact with players and referees, including coaches, front office staff, medical staff, security, team communications staff and scorers.

Teams including the Miami Heat and Sacramento Kings have also requiredall employees to be vaccinated, while some teams are requiring fans to provide proof of vaccination to enter their arenas.

Pretty much the only on-court NBA employees not required to be vaccinated are the players, who incidentally have the strongest union negotiating with the league. However, NBPA executive director Michele Roberts told Yahoo Sports' Vincent Goodwill in July that 90% of the league's players had been vaccinated.