Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry appeared to violate NBA rules as well as Wisconsin's and Milwaukee's mask mandates by refusing to wear his mask over his nose and mouth while sitting courtside during Tuesday night's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. A source who also attended the game at Fiserv Forum captured extended video of Lasry with his mask down for most of the game.
"I noticed him take it down a few minutes before I starting filming, and he kept it down the entire first half," the source said in an email. "He did it again most of the second half but I didn't take video. I'm sure it's clearly visible on the TV cameras since he was so close to the court."
Lasry was seated next to Bucks President Peter Feigin and General Manager Jon Horst, both of whom kept their masks on for the duration of the game, the source noted.
According to NBA rules, players and coaches must wear masks at all times while on the sidelines. All fans seated within 30 feet of the court must wear masks and have proof of a negative COVID-19 test two days before the game.
"I was at Sunday's game and was talked to during a timeout because I wasn't pulling my mask up enough in between sips of a drink," said one fan who noticed Lasry not wearing his mask during Tuesday night's game.
Wisconsin remains under a Public Health Emergency and a statewide mask mandate is in effect.
"You need to wear a face covering whenever you are indoors or in an enclosed space, other than a private residence, and other people are present in the same room or enclosed space," Governor Tony Evers instructs on his website. Specifically listed among those "enclosed spaces" where masks are required is "stadium or bleacher seating."
Violations of the state mask mandate are punishable by a fine of up to $200.
The City of Milwaukee has also issued a mask mandate which provides that "any owner or operator of a building open to the public that permits a person to violate [the mandate] in their building open to the public shall upon conviction forfeit not less than $50 and not more than $500."
As an owner of the Bucks, Lasry would thus theoretically be liable for allowing...himself to violate Milwaukee's mask mandate. The Bucks have not yet responded to a request for comment.
Earlier this month, Lasry's son, Bucks Vice President Alex Lasry (who just announced a run for the U.S. Senate), was the subject of national criticism for announcing that he had gotten a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine even though he did not qualify through Wisconsin's gating criteria.