Report: NBA Hoping To Have Limited Fans In Stands
Nov 5, 2020, 12:09 PM | Updated: 12:19 pm
Vivint Smart Home Arena (Photo: Ben Anderson KSL Sports)
(Photo: Ben Anderson KSL Sports)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The NBA may see fans in stands when its season begins. According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the league is aiming to allow arenas to host 25-50 percent of their typical fan capacity on opening night.
“Sources: The NBA aims to have arena suites open to fans at 25-to-50 percent capacity for 2020-21 season tipoff, based on local regulations,” Charania tweeted. “An amount of fans — under protocols such as masks, social distancing and coronavirus testing — is a goal to start season.”
Sources: The NBA aims to have arena suites open to fans at 25-to-50 percent capacity for 2020-21 season tipoff, based on local regulations. An amount of fans — under protocols such as masks, social distancing and coronavirus testing — is a goal to start season.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 5, 2020
The allowance would be a win for both owners and players who are looking for ways to mitigate the losses due to the coronavirus pandemic. The league has projected a loss of up to 40 percent in revenue as a result of lower ticket and merchandise sales.
“The coronavirus pandemic has made life fluid, and a clinical vaccine will play a role in this too,” Charania added. “NBA’s goal is some amount of fans to start the season, depending on each market’s restrictions. Courtside fans, for instance, would be about 10-to-12 feet away, sources said.”
NBA players will soon vote on when to begin next season according to the AP. https://t.co/uQyoQiCBTW
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 4, 2020
The NBA Players Association is expected to vote on two opening day proposals this week to determine when to begin the 2020-21 season. The opening dates are split between December 22, which would allow for a traditional Christmas Day showcase and a 72 game schedule, and a Martin Luther King Day start date, featuring a 60 game schedule, with the season stretching late into the summer.
The players are expected to vote in favor of the December start date which would add an additional $500 million to $1 billion in revenue to the league.
