LATEST RESTRICTIONS RE OUTDOOR GATHERING AND INDOOR SPORTS as per Governor Murphy:
Can organized sports resume? What are the safety requirements for sports facilities?
Last Updated: 12/30/2020 Click here for details
Organized Sports
On January 2, indoor practices and competitions for organized sports may resume in accordance with health and safety protocols -- however, indoor interstate youth sports competitions continue to be prohibited in New Jersey. For more information, see Administrative Order No. 2020-25.
Under Executive Order No. 194, all interstate games and tournaments for indoor youth sports, up to and including high school, are prohibited until further notice. In addition, New Jersey, Maine, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, and Massachusetts have announced a regional commitment to suspend interstate hockey competitions for public and private schools and youth hockey through at least January 31, 2021.
This ban does not apply to collegiate or professional sports activities.
This ban also does not prohibit classes, lessons, trainings, or individual activities at gyms or recreational businesses, including dance, martial arts, or gymnastics studios. For more information, refer to this article.
As of January 2, contact practices and no-contact practices for sports defined as "Low Risk", "Medium Risk", and "High Risk" are permitted in both outdoor and indoor settings. Low-risk, non-contact sports include golf and tennis. Medium- and high-risk sports include baseball, softball, soccer, basketball, football hockey, judo, boxing, karate, wrestling, rugby, and group dance.
The Department of Health has issued updated guidance for sports activities.
Limits on Gatherings
Indoor Sports: On January 2, indoor practices and competitions for organized sports may resume in accordance with health and safety protocols -- however, indoor interstate youth sports competitions continue to be prohibited in New Jersey. For more information, see Administrative Order No. 2020-25.
Indoor practices and competitions are limited to 10 people. However, if the number of individuals who are necessary for practice or competition, such as players, coaches, and referees, exceeds 10, the practice or competition may proceed if no unnecessary individuals such as spectators are present. Even if this exception applies, the number of individuals at the practice or competition cannot exceed 25% of the capacity of the room, and such limit cannot exceed 150 persons.
Outdoor Sports: Outdoor competitions or tournaments must abide by the limit on outdoor gatherings, which is currently limited to 25 people. Athletes, coaches, referees and other individuals necessary for a professional or collegiate sports competition are not counted towards the 25-person limit. For other adult and youth sports occurring outdoors, the number of individuals necessary for a game or practice can exceed the 25-person limit, but only if no individuals who are not necessary for the event, such as spectators, are present.