LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA – MARCH 23: A general view of the ESPN Wide World of Sports entrance outside of Champion stadium before a spring training game between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets on March 23, 2019 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
The NBA confirms they are working with Disney to resume the 2019-20 season.
The NBA is working on a solution that could have the 2019-20 season resumed as early as late July, the league confirmed on Saturday.
The NBA took the lead in the United States as the first professional sports league to suspend play on March 11 due to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. Two months later, the NBA has confirmed they are working on a solution with Disney to play out the rest of the season at a single location.
The NBA and National Basketball Players Association are working closely with The Walt Disney Company on a hub plan, the statement said. The plan is to have Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Florida as the lone secluded location. The location would serves as the NBA’s campus for games, practices and housing for the remaining 2019-20 season.
”Our priority continues to be health and safety of all involved, and we are working with public health experts and government officials on a comprehensive set of guidelines to ensure that appropriate medical protocols and protections are in place,” Mike Bass, NBA chief communications officer, said in a statement.
The league is desperately trying to salvage the season as there are quite a few things at stake for the the league.
“Safety obviously 1st! No where will be as safe as the NBA compound site they determine but, I Don’t think players know the effects of NOT playing does too next year. This is bigger then My team isnt in the playoffs so who cares! No playoffs, no tv money, NEW CBA next year!” Los Angeles Lakers guard Jared Dudley tweeted recently.
The biggest risk at state is the NBA would be asking players to play when there is not a vaccine for COVID-19. In a league that has already seen multiple players test positive for the coronavirus in March when play was postponed, the livelihoods of players are still at stake. At a secluded location, if one person has it, it could spread like wild fire.