Suspension of the 2019–20 NBA season
On March 11, 2020, the National Basketball Association (NBA) announced the suspension of the 2019–20 season following Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert testing positive for COVID-19,[1] which occurred around the same time as COVID-19 lockdowns began in both the United States and Canada.
On June 4, the NBA approved a plan to continue the 2019–20 season with 22 teams playing at Walt Disney World's ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in the NBA bubble.[2]
On August 26, the season was suspended for a second time due to a wildcat strike during the playoffs in response to the shooting of Jacob Blake.[3][4]
Reactions[edit]
Players[edit]
The suspension drew remarks from several current and former NBA players.[25] Several players pledged to offer assistance to arena workers across the league who are without work due to the league's response to COVID-19, although many of the teams pledged to help support their workers to varying degrees.[26][27][28][29][30]
Teams and arenas[edit]
The Dallas Mavericks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Detroit Pistons were among the first to announce plans that would pay their workers for the days they are missing due to the suspension of the league.[26][31] On March 28, the Pistons announced that they would offer their performance center to health officials for use against COVID-19.[32]
National Hockey League[edit]
On March 12, 2020, the following day after the NBA suspended the season, the National Hockey League followed suit, suspending their 2019–20 season. In a statement addressing the situation, the NHL included:
The NHL became the first of the four major sports leagues to announce a return to play on May 26, 2020, with 24 of the league's 31 teams competing in a playoff tournament to decide the champion of the 2019–20 season.[34]
Impact[edit]
The suspension cost the league hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue in national television advertisements and lost ticket sales.[35][36] With the vast majority of events at arenas cancelled, down-the-line workers lost revenue from unused tickets and effective employment as a result of closed concession stands and surrounding team memorabilia stands and shops, along with surrounding entertainment districts.[5]