
The NBA reportedly is considering moving games to cities that haven't yet had outbreaks of the coronavirus.
The league has discussed "moving games to the away opponent's arena if that city hasn't suffered an outbreak -- or even moving games to neutral cities," ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Tuesday citing league sources. Also under consideration is barring fans from games or even indefinitely suspending game operations, but Wojnarowski reported that the NBA's 30 teams are waiting to take their cue from the league.
"[Teams] have been hesitant to become the league's first franchise to voluntarily eliminate fans from home games," Wojnarowski wrote, citing sources.
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The lack of publicly available testing, however, has "complicated" the league's decision-making, according to Wojnarowski.
The NBA reportedly is set to hold a conference call with its Board of Governors on Wednesday to address the next steps, and Wojnarowski reported that the league also will hold two calls Thursday with team presidents and general managers. Local and state governments across the country, meanwhile, are taking matters into their own hands.
Santa Clara County has been hit hard by the coronavirus, otherwise known as COVID-19, and the public health department barred gatherings of over 1,000 people on Monday through the end of the month. The NHL's Sharks said in a statement they "will adhere to the mandated guidelines," and the remaining five NHL and AHL games scheduled at SAP Center in March will be reviewed. The Warriors, who play about 50 miles from SAP Center in San Francisco, are having "ongoing" conversations with city health officials, according to Wojnarowski.
Ohio Governor Sam DeWise recommended that indoor sporting events be played without fans as a result of the coronavirus' spread. The MAC men's basketball tournament will be held without spectators at Cleveland's Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse this week, but the AHL's Cleveland Monsters are set to play Sunday afternoon "with regular fan access." The Cavaliers do not play in the building until March 24 against the Kings, and Wojnarowski wrote the Cavs have "time to evaluate the recommendation" as a result.
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The United States has over 1,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, according to NBC News reporting, and 30 people have died nationwide.