Therese Sta. MariaHey Disney and NBA fans, remember the news we told you about last month where we said Disney might actually host the continuation of the NBA season this year? Well, now it’s official and finally happening!
Don’t believe us? Take a look at this teaser below!
As previously deliberated, the NBA league will continue their games at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. They will make use of the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. During the Governor’s call on 4 June, Thursday, the owners took a vote that resulted in a 29-1 decision for the resumption of the NBA games this year. According to reports, the Portland Trail Blazers were the only ones who voted against the plan. Despite the Blazers’ vote, the team will be compelled to attend the games in Orlando for the continuation of the season.
How is the league preparing for the comeback?
Since the coronavirus (COVID-19) is still very much present in the USA, there will be strict measures to ensure the safety and health of everyone involved in the season. The NBA also released a timetable before the games in Orlando begin. Here’s what we know so far:
- The NBA will conduct coronavirus tests on a nightly basis in Orlando. They will adhere to mouth and nasal tests instead of more intrusive methods. Any individual that comes out with a positive result will be quarantined for at least seven days.
- The season is expected to resume in 31 July, where 22 out of 30 NBA teams will participate in Orlando. Here’s a breakdown of the schedule:
- 15 June: Players currently outside the United States return to home market
- 21 June: All players return to home market
- 22 June: Testing for COVID-19 begins
- 30 June: Training camp begins
- 7 July: All teams travel to Orlando
- 31 July: Season resumes
- The participating teams are expected to play two to three exhibition games in Orlando. Dates for these have yet to be announced. They will also be given three-hour practice windows given that the convention centre has two courts and weight rooms.
- Each team will be limited to a travelling party of 35 people.
- The NBA is also considering using the crowd noise in NBA2K as a substitute for their live audience.
Image credit: BucsWeb
To further acknowledge the pandemic and current issues happening in the United States as of the moment, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver released the following statement:
“The Board’s approval of the restart format is a necessary step toward resuming the NBA season. While the COVID-19 pandemic presents formidable challenges, we are hopeful of finishing the season in a safe and responsible manner based on strict protocols now being finalized with public health officials and medical experts. We also recognize that as we prepare to resume play, our society is reeling from recent tragedies of racial violence and injustice, and we will continue to work closely with our teams and players to use our collective resources and influence to address these issues in very real and concrete ways.”
The NBA games will hardly be the same when they resume in July, but at least the fans will have something to look forward to amidst all the unfortunate events happening around the world right now. And we’ve all got Disney World to thank for agreeing to host everyone’s favourite sports competition of the year!
