Sources: NBA Reaffirms Game Cancellation Protocol Regarding Coronavirus

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The National Basketball Association reached out to its teams Friday night to reaffirm the league’s position regarding the cancellation of games. Speculation regarding team travel, interaction with fans, and the potential for playing games without fans in attendance have circulated with the spread of coronavirus worldwide.

Sources who have seen the memo the league sent to teams indicated that the memo was merely a reminder of league protocol regarding the chain of command when requiring an alteration to the league’s schedule.

The league has already postponed the beginning of the start of Basketball Africa League’s inaugural season due to the spread of coronavirus. The league previously sent a memo to NBA teams indicating that players and coaches should refrain from taking items from fans to autograph before games.

Sources that have seen the NBA’s memo regarding the coronavirus say the league was simply reminding teams of existing protocol regarding rescheduling or cancelling games.

Essentially, teams don’t have the authority to cancel games independently.

— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) March 7, 2020

The league has an existing policy regarding cancellation of games usually due to weather-related travel issues, or problems with the arena or basketball court. The league last canceled a scheduled game due to the death of Kobe Bryant, allowing the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers to reschedule their January 28 matchup for April 9.

Coronavirus In Utah

The league’s memo is the second event related to Utah sports and the coronavirus.

Due to travel concerns related to the virus, Chicago State decided that it would not play its originally scheduled men’s and women’s basketball games against Utah Valley on Saturday, March 7.

The games were officially canceled on March 4.

They were the first Division I men’s basketball games canceled due to the coronavirus, according to Stadium’s Jeff Goodman.

We now have the first Division 1 men’s basketball game canceled due to the Coronavirus, source told @Stadium.

Chicago State will not play its game tomorrow at Seattle University and Sat. at Utah Valley due to the threat. There have been 9 Coronavirus deaths in the Seattle area.

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) March 4, 2020

On March 6, Utah governor Gary Herbert declared a State of Emergency related to Utah’s response to the coronavirus.

Later that night, officials confirmed the state’s first case of the virus.

“First and foremost, I’m hopeful this patient will make a fast and full recovery. This is undoubtedly a frightening situation for their patient and their family, and we stand ready to assist them,” said Herbert said. “Utah residents should feel confident that all levels of state and local government and our health care providers have been preparing for this moment for many weeks now. We will certainly see additional cases in the near future, and we are prepared to take the necessary steps to protect the public’s health and limit the spread of this illness.”

Coronavirus Resources

Have you or a family member been affected by coronavirus issues in Utah? KSL wants to hear from you. Contact KSL by emailing social@ksl.com.

What is COVID-19? Here’s What You Need To Know To Stay Healthy: ksltv.com/432037/what-is-covid-19/

Latest coronavirus stories from KSL can be found at ksltv.com/coronavirus/.

Where in the world has the coronavirus already appeared? See the map: ksltv.com/?p=432035

Your Life Your Health: How can parents prepare their home, children against coronavirus: ksltv.com/?p=432060

How do I prevent it?

The CDC has some simple recommendations, most of which are the same for preventing other respiratory illnesses or the flu:

• Avoid close contact with people who may be sick
• Avoid touching your face
• Stay home when you are sick
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and then throw the tissue in the trash
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. Always wash your hands with soap and water if your hands are visibly dirty.
• If soap and water is not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

The CDC does not recommend wearing a facemask respirator to protect yourself from coronavirus unless a healthcare professional recommends it.