Covid-19: Can the NBA Season be Paused or
Terminated Early?
The suspension of the sports season in many leagues and federations is the
immediate consequence of the lockdown imposed by the authorities worldwide.
Each league or federation could not carry on with its matches scheduled. The
National Basketball Association (NBA) was no exception. Despite multiple
attempts to forge ahead with its 2019-2020 season, the executive stopped the
activities midway.
The Embarrassment of NBA Authorities
In an attempt to plan the 2019-2020 season, a meeting of the board of governors
was convened. This special grouping aimed at taking into account potential risk
in the event of organizing the season in question.
During the liberation, various scenarios and implications were addressed. For
example, if the season holds, it implies that many matches will take place. With
the current ban on gathering, crowds of fans during matches will be a
contradiction to decisions by the powers that be. Because during matches it is
very difficult to observe barrier measures as recommended by state officials.
In fact, the board held the meeting under a lot of pressure. Interactions between
fans can't be controlled. Another issue that caught the attention of board
members is the financial losses. If the season is postponed, the NBA runs the
risk of losing not only money, but also partners. Players salaries may not be
paid if competitions are held in empty buildings.
If no play takes place, what will become of hundreds of business relationships
depending upon NBA matches is a very difficult question to answer by the
board. It should be recalled that NBA teams work with many people who help
in staging games and in advertisements. In brief, groups of people are
committed to promoting the popularity and image of the NBA league matches.
From the look of things, the NBA can't do without people who work round the
clock to make NBA sporting activities better known. Faced with all these
concerns and uncertainties, NBA authorities had no other option than to suspend
the 2019-2020 season.
Dispute Between State and NBA Authorities
The Mayor went on to name all kinds of sporting events which fell under the
ban. Besides, he prohibited the gathering of more than a thousand people.
Ignoring decisions made by state officials, NBA executives considered moving
games to cities with no or small number of cases, according to media reports.
Pushed by the demand of the betting markets, NBA leaders determined to give a
deaf ear to recommendations even by the local health department.
To further challenge the state authorities, betting websites like NBA odds
Pennsylvania were working pretty hard to attract gamblers. Despite the
precautions taken by NBA officials, such as putting up too many fans from
entering the arena, thousands of fans were still in attendance.
To the dismay of all fans, thunder vice-president entered the court, took to the
pitch and asked for the postponement of the encounter. Without further
explanation, players were instructed to head back to the dressing rooms. All
these reasons and consequences forced the temporary suspension of the NBA
2019–2020 season.
Signs Announcing a Bleak Future for NBA 2019-2020 Season
Home staying measures observed across the world coupled with its
implementation in individual states was bad news for the effective holding of
NBA 2019-2020 season. The global lockdown alongside the ban on huge
gatherings of People, caused major leagues in all the continents to close down
and crease their activities.
The extension of the global state of emergency to the United States of America
made it abundantly clear that nothing was going to be like before again, as far as
NBA season was concerned. State authorities on American soil issued warnings
for all sports leagues to suspend their competitions and seasons. With every
sports league closing its doors to scheduled activities for the season, it was
feared that the NBA would carry on with its season to the end.
Added to these bad signs and pressure, levied on NBA was the cessation of
work of the many men and women who devote their time and energy to ensure
hitch free and successful NBA league matches. In addition to this, the lack or
absence of fans respecting lockdown prescriptions also accounted for the early
suspension of NBA 2019-2020 season.
Even though NBA authorities failed to heed the calls by state authorities,
nobody could say for certain that the NBA would continue with its matches.
Many websites like NBA odds Pennsylvania went ahead to diversify activity in
a bit to keep customers flowing. Added to these bad signs and warnings was the
alarm sounded by the local health department.
The pressure mounted on NBA by both global and local contexts proved that the
NBA season had a bleak future ahead. Despite the stubbornness of its leaders to
ignore the threats paused by the global pandemic, the choice was very difficult
to make. Thus, the board of governors had to be realistic and came to realize
that no NBA league match could take place.
The Economic Impact on NBA Following the Suspension of
League Matches
The economic impact on the functioning of the NBA is untold. At the time of
the suspension, there were still 259 matches left on the NBA season schedule. In
simple terms, it means that 21% of the season benefits could be lost not to talk
about the playoffs. Economic implications for the teams, players, partners and
workers depending on NBA games are numerous.
Most revenues made by the NBA come from television contracts,
advertisements, merchandising and sponsorships or gate receipts. Losing all
these sources of income only reveals how much the business of the NBA has
been affected.
Apart from sources of income mentioned previously, more money will also be
lost in areas such as merchandise sales, food and parking fees or concessions.
All the losses put together would cost the NBA somewhere between 150 and
200 million dollars.
This state of affairs opens Pandora's Box for the NBA. Players will need to
renegotiate contracts for matches that are either cancelled or played in empty
areas. Men and women who make a living out of working for security, cooking
for fans, taking tickets and cleaning arenas will be jobless.
All these good people run the high risk of going penniless. The same fate
applies to media partners who stand to miss millions in advertising.
In conclusion, the suspension of the NBA 2019-2020 season will have very
economic negative effects. The losses amount to almost a billion dollars, to say
nothing of playoffs.
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