The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association met Wednesday to discuss possible scenarios to continue play in the wake of coronavirus fears.
Talks preceded a scheduled call between the league’s board of governors as officials try to navigate the logistics of the remainder of the season.
Focused on keeping teams playing and televising games, Golden State has already announced the Warriors and Nets will take the court Thursday without fans in attendance.
The announcement was made after San Francisco Mayor London Breed banned all gatherings of 1,000 or more people for the next two weeks in the city.
Sources told ESPN, in the wake of coronavirus outbreaks, temporary measures such as moving games to the visitor’s court or playing in neutral cities and sites could also be enacted.
Early reports from the schedule conference call have the board of governors leaning to continuing the season without fans in attendance.
The greater consensus among the teams is continuing to play games without fans in arenas, and the league is expected to move toward a resolution on Thursday, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/Op82C0aR6E
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 11, 2020
As officials explore any and all options while keeping players and fans safe, there is great concern over the far-reaching economic impact.
League officials are preparing for losses in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
What seemed like science fiction just a week ago is now becoming a reality as the league and players prepare to tip-off in empty arenas.