Commissioner Adam Silver says no to the NBA bubble for the full 82-game 2021-2022 season, starting in October.
No NBA Bubble and a Full 2021-2022 Season
The NBA is in isolation for the All-Star Game in Atlanta Sunday night, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said during his annual press conference. The league is not looking forward to another bubble because of the global situation.
He also said that he’s not looking forward to mandatory vaccines for the players when they become available in the spring. Silver said that the NBA anticipates a full season of 82 games, scheduled for 2021-2022. The season would begin in October and end in June. However, the international season games and preseason games have been in suspension until the next season.
The commissioner stated that he is optimistic that the season this fall would start on time. The teams already have fans in the arenas, and he is hoping for them to be full next season. The current season began on Dec.22 with 72 scheduled games.
On March 11, 2020, Silver stopped the season with the hopes to open the bubble in July for the Orlando playoffs, which ended in Los Angeles after 2 months, when the Lakers defeated the Miami Heat in 6 games, winning the NBA title.
The NBA Teams Are Happy to Be Working
Before the beginning of this season, the league estimated a revenue loss of around 40%, said Silver, even though he refuses to share any actual figures. Most teams aren’t hosting paying audiences. He stated that the players would have a salary reduction, and the league executives would have a cut on their salaries. Even though they took a step back, according to Silver, they are happy to be working considering the circumstances.
The NBA league has accumulated significant losses over the past year. Silver said that the team owners were required to make a serious investment, and they accepted it. Recently Bally’s Corporation inked long-term strategic partnership with the NBA and became its authorized sports betting operator.
The NBA also teamed up with Yahoo Sports to make sports betting broadcasts, featuring games on the NBABet Stream show and helping fans get more information about each game and betting trends.
NBA Won’t Obligate Players to Vaccinate
Silver said that he is not aware of any players taking covid-19 vaccines. Currently, most people taking the shot are of the age of 65 or older and what is considered essential workers. Pro-athletes fit neither of those categories. According to him, a collective vaccination for the players should be a decision for the NBA Players Association.
There are no plans or suggestions by health authorities to mandate that players must take the shot. It is a personal decision, and all they have talked about is education.