We mentioned this – as a rumor – a few weeks ago on ShaqFu Radio… now it seems there’s more than a little happening behind the scenes. The NBA front office says it is “in talks” with The Walt Disney Company to bring back the season at a single location: the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex on the Disney property in Orlando, FL.
This is the “single-site” scenario that was kicked around for a few possible destinations, including Orlando and Las Vegas. Now it seems Disney is getting serious attention, with the idea being to restart the remainder of the season (whatever that works out to) in late July.
In a related story, the National Basketball Players Association has also chimed in, saying players would really like to get back to the court and finish the season in one form or another.
By playing only at the ESPN complex, the league would have a place to play multiple games at once (if that’s the decision) and to house players and perhaps even some family members in a centralized, easier-to-monitor location.
NBA spokesman Mike Bass said the conversations were still “exploratory,” but are apparently moving ahead. “Our priority continues to be the 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,” Bass said. (Thanks to the Associated Press for details on this story.)
If you haven’t seen the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney World, we can tell you – it’s huge. It covers about 255-acres and has arenas that could host multiple games. Tournaments. On the corporate side, ESPN is owned by Disney, which is one of the NBA’s broadcast partners.
It’s possible the NBA won’t be the only league using the ESPN space in Orlando. Major League Soccer is also in similar talks with Disney to resume its season. That would happen at the same time as the NBA resumption, but officials say they have room for both. The entire Disney campus with all its different parks and amenities include almost 24,000 hotel rooms.
The NBA was truly the frontrunner in taking the Covid-19 outbreak seriously. The league suspended its season March 11, making it the first of the U.S. major pro leagues to do so. That came after Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for the virus. As of today, at least ten players have tested positive, even though not all of those have been publicly identified. Recently league Commissioner Adam Silver said the actual total of positive cases was even higher.
Some league action has already restarted. Teams have been allowed to bring players back to their training facilities for voluntary sessions since May 8, and more than half of the league’s franchises have taken advantage of that opportunity.
Will it happen? Stay tuned to ShaqFu Radio for all the latest information.