NBA tells teams to prepare to play games without fans

Posted by Mike Florio on March 6, 2020, 10:09 PM EST
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As the NFL continues to closely monitor the coronavirus situation, the NBA has given the NFL something new to monitor.

Shams Charania of TheAthletic.com reports that the NBA has sent a memo to all franchises explaining that teams should be preparing to play games without fans in attendance, if necessary. The memo also asks teams to identify “essential staff” for those games.

This follows an earlier email in which the NBA suggested fist bumps instead of high fives with fans, and also recommended that players not touch pens, jerseys, etc. from fans for autographs.

The next NFL game won’t be played until August. However, the 2020 draft will happen in 48 days in Las Vegas. In three weeks, the league will convene its annual meetings in Florida. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told PFT via email on Friday night that plans remain in place for the league meetings.

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23 responses to “NBA tells teams to prepare to play games without fans”

  1. Playing with no fans in the stadium? Maybe teams will come to appreciate those who support them?

  3. If the revenue is down 30% (due to no attendance) how would that affect the pay to the players?

  5. So let’s just all stay inside for the next 4 months and not leave the house…..for something that affects less people than the flu.

    Not against taking some precautions, but this is out of hand with the panic.

  6. Isn’t the nba headed in that direction already? Every time I see highlights they have plenty of empty seats. I can’t blame fans though, ticket prices are too high and the way the refs call a nba is trash. Guys traveling, moving screens, jacking up bad shots, guys hopping around. Guys on defense grabbing jerseys, pushing guys instead of moving their feet.

  7. There is something that the governments are not telling us about this virus. I called it when I said there were people passing tests who were still infected. Then I said that this is something nobody maybe immune to but rather people can carry it but never show symptoms.
    I think their are different levels of the disease like you may catch a mild version or get blasted with a wicked version. I don’t blame the NBA and when this really hits it may change the way the NFL does business as well. You can’t have multi million dollar “show ponies” getting sick from the commoners. Could you imagine and NFL game with nobody in the stands? That would be just crazy…. but welcome to 2020. I don’t blame the owners for trying to protect the hired hands to keep farming their ca$h.
    Wash you hands.

  8. I tell ya what. I get to work from 2 days a week. Not right now!!!! Take advantage of the hysteria. Better yet, my lady is a health exec. She is off making bank and I am home alone.

  9. Panic is taking hold. Increase your intake of Vitamin C, wash your hands frequently, and you should be fine.

  11. And LeBron James, when asked about it, said he would refuse to play if there were no fans in the arena. He does still get paid though.

    Nice to know that the health and wellbeing of thousands of people are not important to him.

  13. 82 games,everyone makes the playoffs,no traveling or carrying the ball called.How in the world is there as much fan interest as there is to begin with?

  14. thetooloftools says:
    March 6, 2020 at 11:20 pm
    There is something that the governments are not telling us about this virus. I called it when I said there were people passing tests who were still infected. Then I said that this is something nobody maybe immune to but rather people can carry it but never show symptoms.
    I think their are different levels of the disease like you may catch a mild version or get blasted with a wicked version. I don’t blame the NBA and when this really hits it may change the way the NFL does business as well. You can’t have multi million dollar “show ponies” getting sick from the commoners. Could you imagine and NFL game with nobody in the stands? That would be just crazy…. but welcome to 2020. I don’t blame the owners for trying to protect the hired hands to keep farming their ca$h.
    Wash you hands.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    I saw my doc yesterday. He said some believe the virus may be mutating rapidly, possibly even to the point of mutating itself from one person to another. If… and it’s a BIG if… that’s true, welcome to unlimited strains of virus if left unchecked.

    Hopefully, Cabbages are immune to all.
    Lettuce Pray.

  16. Antonio Brown Where Are You? says:

    March 6, 2020 at 10:32 pm

    If the revenue is down 30% (due to no attendance) how would that affect the pay to the players?
    ———
    It wouldnt affect their pay but it would affect the salary cap for the following season as it would likely be stagnant or a much smaller increase than is currently expected.

  17. Looks like the Chargers were a couple years ahead of their time. They’ve been doing this since they moved to LA

  18. What the heck is wrong with everyone? Millions of Americans currently have the flu, and thousands of Americans have died from the flu already in 2020. No one want to ban fans from games, flights, etc. etc over the flue. The WHO has not declared a pandemic (which even if they do, describes scope of spread only and has nothing to do with severity). Doctors are saying not to worry. Wash your hands and go in if you develop symptoms. The real concern is the virus spreading to counties with poor healthcare systems. The USA is not one of those countries.
    I guess we should all just lock ourselves in our houses forever because the media loves fear-mongering. What a joke this entire thing is.

  20. Antonio Brown Where Are You? says:
    March 6, 2020 at 10:32 pm
    If the revenue is down 30% (due to no attendance) how would that affect the pay to the players?

    I’m nobody but in my opinion it shouldn’t affect their pay at all. They’re there doing what they’re paid to do.

    …and how ’bout those their, they’re, there skills!

  21. bosslordstanton says:
    March 7, 2020 at 1:46 pm

    The real concern is the virus spreading to counties with poor healthcare systems. The USA is not one of those countries.
    =======================================================
    Well, bless your heart.

  22. “Nice to know that the health and wellbeing of thousands of people are not important to him.”
    =========

    Anyone not living under a rock already knew that.

  23. Will the NBA be refunding those season ticket holders money?

    No fans in the stands, that’ll be just like a Chargers game! LOL

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