Among the NBA’s many contingency plans for resuming its paused season, the strongest one appears to be the use of a hub city to house all teams and broadcast games from one safe location. The idea garnered reports that Las Vegas, Atlantic City and even Nassau, Bahamas may be contenders. However, a new location has been added to the mix per Associated Press NBA writer Tim Reynolds.
Orlando may be the proposed “bubble city” to hold any future NBA games, with officials specifically considering Walt Disney World as an ideal venue. The seemingly unorthodox choice was laid out in detail by Yahoo Sports writer Keith Smith, a former Disney World employee himself. Disney’s widespread complexes, which have been closed since mid-March, offer the accommodations needed to hold all players and team personnel.
Additionally and perhaps most vitally, the Orlando tourist destination boasts ESPN’s Wide World of Sports. The Disney-owned sports complex features plenty of courts available for practice as well as show arenas to house games, all of which are equipped for broadcasting already. This contingency plan also opens up the league to Amway Center, the home of the Orlando Magic, should they require more space.
Fans and teams have been in limbo since the league was suspended March 11. There may soon be some answers as the calendar page flips to May. Commissioner Adam Silver revealed at the start of this month that he would not announce any decisions regarding play until sometime in May, but the timeline is still blurry.
Whatever proposed plan is in store for the NBA, Silver has made it clear that the only way to move forward with any semblance of a season is to ensure all players and team personnel involved have access to COVID-19 testing. Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert was the first of multiple NBA stars to contract the virus and forced the suspension of the league.
