Following the NBA’s Lead
September 22, 2020 | by Frank Almarez
I remember watching an NBA game on Wednesday, Mar. 11, and witnessing something nobody has ever seen before. The referees dismissed the confused fans in attendance as well as both teams off the court. Shortly after, the NBA announced the postponement of their season due to multiple players testing positive for the coronavirus, and I was in shock.
The news of the NBA season postponement had every other major sport have a sense of urgency towards the coronavirus, and they all followed the NBA’s lead by postponing their respective seasons. I was also oblivious to the virus until I saw notable players testing positive and hearing the news of the season’s postponement. The NBA has continuously been setting the example throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and it has been impressive to observe.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced everyone to find the best ways to do their jobs while staying safe. The NBA’s job was to be the first major sport to find the best way to restart their season before anybody else. There were hundreds of employees, staff, media members, as well as players that the NBA needed to manage the safest way possible during a pandemic. It was no easy task, but after months of careful planning, the NBA laid out their plan to resume their season.
Through a press release, the NBA announced to restart their season with multiple safety measures in place. All the games would be played inside a bubble at the Disney World campus in Orlando, Fla, with only the staff and media allowed inside. I was so excited to have basketball back, and I had complete faith in the NBA to pull it off.
When the first game of the NBA restart tipped off, I was in awe of the production value inside the Disney World campus. With revolutionary technology on display, such as virtual fans in attendance on the basketball courts, you will be able to notice right away the NBA spared no expense in the restarted season. There has been no significant risk from the coronavirus to stop the season once again, and I believe it is a testament to the NBA’s standards to their league. Now every other major sport once again is following the NBA’s lead in their seasons, and they have the NBA to thank for laying out the blueprint.
My name is Frank, and I love to write and talk about sports. When I am not screaming at my television, I would be volunteering to teach English to students all around the world. Unfortunately, these days my options are limited. I am currently working on a bachelor's degree in journalism.