NBA has asked its teams to give the availability of their arenas through Aug. 1NBAE/GETTY IMAGES
The NBA made a historic decision to suspend its season due to the coronavirus outbreak last night, and the league now will decide what is next after "making sure its players get the medical attention they need," according to Jeff Zillgitt of USA TODAY. The NBA "could try to squeeze in an 82-game season and just move back the start of the playoffs." It also could "decide to play the remaining games scheduled when play resumes even if it means less than an 82-game season" (USA TODAY, 3/12). In Boston, Adam Himmelsbach notes it is "all but guaranteed that games will be postponed for at least 14 days as the league reassesses the outbreak and monitors the health of its players." There is a "chance that after the hiatus -- however long it might be -- the NBA would simply begin the playoffs." It could also be possible that the NBA "attempts to resume play as scheduled at some point." However, in addition to the "calendar working against that approach, there would be numerous logistical hurdles to clear relating to venue availability." One other possibility is that the season "will be canceled altogether" (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/12). Meanwhile, ESPN's Brian Windhorst notes the NBA has "asked their teams to give their availability of their arenas through August 1st"(“Get Up,” ESPN, 3/12).
SHUTTING EVERYTHING DOWN: In San Antonio, Jeff McDonald notes the NBA's BOG met yesterday in the early afternoon and "reached a consensus to move forward playing games without fans and behind closed doors." NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was "expected to push the league toward that goal after a scheduled meeting today with the league’s general managers." Then Jazz C Rudy Gobert "tested positive" for the virus in Oklahoma City. Within an hour of the Jazz-Thunder game being postponed, the league "placed the entire season on hold" (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 3/12). In L.A., Dan Woike notes behind the scenes, league officials were "most concerned with one of their players testing positive because of the ripple effects it would cause beyond the standard health concerns." Everyone in the league has been sharing the same message -- if one test "came back positive, the entire league would screech to a stop" (L.A. TIMES, 3/12). ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski noted the NBA “looked at a lot of contingencies over the last weeks.” They included “going on a hiatus" as well as, if they were able to play again, using "neutral site courts to play games in areas where the virus is less clustered." Those are "all conversations and a cooperation that’s got to go on in the league now." Wojnarowski: "This is a dire situation for the NBA and for a season that they hope they can restart and eventually crown an NBA champion in” ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 3/12).
TAKING NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS: ESPN.com's Windhorst & Bontemps note at least some players from teams who faced the Jazz in recent days "are being told to self-quarantine." League sources said that players and coaches from the Raptors, Pistons, Celtics, Knicks and Cavaliers also were "scrambling to be tested as early as Wednesday night after learning of Gobert's diagnosis" (ESPN.com, 3/12). However. in Akron, Marla Ridenour notes one report indicated that the Cavs had not been "told to stay home and self-quarantine" (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 3/12). In Chicago, Joe Cowley notes the problem is those five teams have also "played games since interacting with Gobert, and with so many unknowns it’s easy to see why the NBA wants to simply shut everything down until it can get a grasp of the situation" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 3/12). In Boston, Gary Washburn notes the NBA will "encourage every player to get tested, hoping Gobert is the lone positive." Also, the league will "try to determine how Gobert contracted the virus." That will be "difficult considering how much NBA players travel" (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/12). Meanwhile, the WALL STREET JOURNAL's Ben Cohen writes one pro athlete testing positive "might have been the tipping point for American sports" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 3/12).
BIGGER THAN THE NBA: Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban said the move to suspend play is "really not about basketball or money." Cuban: "This thing is just exploding to the point where all of a sudden players and others have had it, you think about your family. You want to really make sure you're doing this the right way, because now it’s much more personal and you’ve seen what's happening in other countries. But just the whole idea that it’s come (this) close and potentially a couple of players have it. Stunning isn’t the right word, it’s just crazy. This is much bigger than the NBA” ("Nuggets-Mavericks," ESPN, 3/11).
COACHES, PLAYERS CHIME IN: Nuggets coach Michael Malone said, "You really get concerned for just what’s going on, not just here in the NBA but in the entire world. These are things that you watch in movies" (DENVER POST, 3/12). Pistons coach Dwane Casey: "It’s a prudent thing to do, with what went on in Utah. I don’t know all the information but that just shows you how fragile everything is right now" (MLIVE.com, 3/11). 76ers coach Brett Brown: "If you look at the proactive measures that our club has taken and the league has taken, I think they’ll be applauded. It’s a sensitive issue, obviously" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 3/12). Lakers G Danny Green: "These are the right steps we need to take. The NBA’s making the right call. And hopefully, we get it back up and running in the right direction soon" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 3/12).
FINANCIAL IMPACT ON LEAGUE: In N.Y., Cacciola & Deb write the "ripple effect of this suspension could be significant, with potentially substantial financial repercussions for the league if the hiatus is extended." The NBA has already "lost untold millions in revenue because of an ongoing dispute with the Chinese government" (N.Y. TIMES, 3/12). In L.A., Bill Plaschke writes the "effects of this virus on the NBA’s machinations for the rest of the season are complicated and chilling." For owners who "collect big bucks from game revenue, this is serious business" (L.A. TIMES, 3/12). NBCNEWS.com's Dylan Byers writes the financial repercussions of the suspension "will be massive." The NBA, its staff and its stakeholders "stand to lose hundreds of millions of dollars (if not more) in revenue from lost ticket sales, media agreements and merchandise." The NBA suspension "could be a sign of what's in store for all American sports leagues." Byers: "We may be looking at weeks if not months without live sports, with major ramifications for the media and advertising industries" (NBCNEWS.com, 3/12). Lightshed Partners co-Founder Rich Greenfield said, “There's no advertising revenue if there's no games, so that’s a huge a problem.” CNBC's Julia Boorstin notes the TV ad market has "really held up remarkably well during this crisis,” but the NBA's suspension of games “could be the outside catalyst that really causes the dam to sort of break for the ad market” (“Squawk Box,” CNBC, 3/12).
