Commissioner Adam Silver told players in a conference call on Friday that it would be safer to restart the season in one or two “bubble” cities, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.
Las Vegas and Orlando are the main options to resume to play in both conferences, though Silver has received inquiries from numerous city officials about hosting the remainder of the season, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports tweets.
A decision to resume the season doesn’t have to be made this month or at the beginning of June, Wojnarowski adds. If the NBA tries to finish the season, there’s no expectation that fans will be in the stands, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. Silver cautioned the players that there will always be a measure of risk until a vaccine is developed for the novel coronavirus.
There’s also the possibility that fans will not be allowed in the arenas next season until a vaccine is readily available, Wojnarowski relays in another tweet. That will obviously impact finances, since the league generates approximately 40% of its revenue through fans attending games, Silver told the players. The league is working on creative ways with its TV partners to deliver the games to audiences, Wojnarowski adds.
There is real concern on both sides about the financial hardship caused by the pandemic. Michele Roberts, the executive director of the Players’ Association, broached that subject on the call with Silver. Silver said that the CBA “wasn’t built for an extended pandemic,” calling it “the greatest challenge” of our lifetime, according to Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
Silver is hopeful of conducting seven-game series for each playoff round, particularly if there is no travel involved, according to Wojnarowski. The commissioner also told the players that he believes the owners unanimously want to resume the season, despite the fact that there might be some financial advantages to canceling if there will be no fans in the seats (Twitter link).
Seattle
Every day more and more doctors are coming forward telling us this is a hoax. Play the games.
Is the thousands dying a hoax? Come on man get a grip.
Stating the situation is overblown is one thing. But calling it a hoax insinuates its a made up virus.
every day you continue to show us your capacity for low IQ.
Doctors are pretty much out of the loop on this except for some dirty work. They’re losing money like common folk.
Most hospital systems took a huge financial hit because of this virus. Most non-emergency procedures, labs, surgeries and appointments have been drastically reduced costing hospitals millions of dollars. Primary care medicine is getting hit hard as well.
78,000 dead. Don’t get political here. Specially when you show ignorance.
Go ask friends and family that work in the hospitals if this is a hoax. This is a nasty virus if you are one of the unfortunate ones who cannot fight it off.
People who think this is a joke will be the reason this virus will have a greater negative impact come fall. Its not something to take lightly.
Society is looking at this virus like a blizzard. The reality is this virus is more like a winter season. This is far from over and as a society we need to be smart about this.
You mean more and more quacks with agenda?
I think your handle is wrong. It should be Richard Head.
KC or St. Louis along with Orlando.
Does KC or St Louis have enough hotel space to host something like this?
does kc or st . louis have the places to place all if not most of the teams. we arent talking one place for every team. i think they want one or two place that has good amount of hotels and at least 2-4 places to play games. that why places like vegas fit so well.
Fargo North Dakota
I don’t know about the totals in Toronto but could that work? They would have access to the Raptors practice facility to play some games, they actual arena they play in, and the Rodgers center where the blue jays play, since it is an indoor stadium they might be able to put a court on the field.
it not just where to play they need a good place to hold all the teams if it in one city or most if they do two places. that like places like vegas and orlando work well
The reason I brought it up is because the Rodgers center has a hotel attached to it. So it’s locking down two buildings as one. And I think it will be Orlando and Vegas if needed but curious to just see if anyone else thought this could be an option.
Playing three-quarter-length playoff games would solve some scheduling issues, increase durability for backtoback games, and maybe reduce liability. Leave full length the RS finish games and leave the finals open in case they can be home and home. (Maybe yes if OKC but no if LA.)
Two cities make sense. NBA needs to show all games. We’re all home. So we will all watch. Televise all games. Regular TV
Build a bubble in Antarctica.. can’t make this stuff up.
Orlando may be the safest location. Plenty of hotels and infrastructure in place.
I heard Gary, IN & Eugene, OR
They should play them in Alphaville.
* Any trophy for playoffs winner this year will always have *
Cancel the season.
they’re trying everything to get LBJ his 4th chip.
I thought he wouldn’t play if there were no fans in the stands…lol
@hoosierhysteria
why don’t you go & tell Tim Duncan that his first ring has an * to it, or Heat’s big 3, or Toronto’s last year… SMH!