The NBA has provided every team with a 158-page health and safety guide ahead of the 2020-21 season. As the number of coronavirus cases rises in the United States, the league has decided to expand its health and safety guidelines for the upcoming campaign.
As reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the detailed guide bans all players and staff personnel from going to bars and clubs; live entertainment and gaming venues; and public spas, pools and gyms while in their home markets. Being a part of large indoor gatherings of more than 15 people is also prohibited.
Wojnarowski also reported that while on the road, players and staff will be allowed to dine at “approved restaurants” either outdoors or in a “fully privatized space” only.
The NBA will also provide twice-a-week testing for the household members of players and staff, says the memo. The league is encouraging testing to “enhance their protection throughout the season.”
Any player who tests positive, even if asymptomatic, will be prohibited from exercise for at least 10 days and then must be monitored in individual workouts for an additional two days.
Team travelling parties will be restricted to 45 people, including 17 players, as they make their way around the country to play a home-and-road schedule in arenas.
Shams Charania of The Athletic also reported that as in the Orlando bubble, an anonymous tip line will be made available to report potential violations of safety protocols, during in-market play in the 2020-21 season.
The league may also conduct announced inspections of team facilities to ensure franchisees are complying with the given protocols. Players flouting safety guidelines may face a loss of pay proportionate to any lost availability due to quarantines or reinstatement steps. Other penalties include fines, suspensions, formal warnings or educational sessions.
The NBA avoided COVID-19 problems during its resumption at Walt Disney World last season, but with no bubble environment set up for the upcoming season, teams will have to be far more vigilant when it comes to protecting themselves.
