TAMPA, Fla. — We the North will stay in the South a little longer.

The Toronto Raptors have announced the team will finish the 2020-21 NBA season in Tampa.

The team announced on Twitter it will continue to call Amalie Arena home “because of ongoing border restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic and mindful of public safety measures in Canada.”

The U.S.-Canada border remains closed to almost all non-essential crossings because of the pandemic. 

Before the season tipped off in December, many cities lobbied to host the Raptors.

Tampa wound up being the pick in a move that added to a hectic sports year for the city which has seen the NHL’s Lightning win the Stanley Cup, baseball’s Rays reach the World Series and the Bucs complete a Super Bowl championship run with the big game in their home stadium.

Also, Amalie Arena officials said Thursday that some fans will be allowed at Lightning and Raptors games starting next week and the general public likely will be allowed back in March. 

In January, Lightning officials, who operate Amalie, stopped allowing fans at games due to Covid-19 concerns.

The Raptors (12-13) are in fifth place in the NBA’s Eastern Conference.

The Raptors host Minnesota on Sunday before a three-game road trip. The team has five more “home” games at Amalie Arena through March and 19 games in Tampa before the playoffs begin in May.