Thursday vote expected to bring NBA to Disney World for summer
The NBA Board of Governors is expected to vote Thursday, June 4, on NBA Commissioner Adam Silver’s proposal to restart play at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World, according to various reports.
The 220-acre complex will be the site for NBA games, practices and housing. This would create a bubble for athletes, coaches, support staff and technical crews in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
No fans will be allowed in the facilities to watch the play.
NBA Chief Communications Officer Mike Bass on May 23 said the NBA “continues to be the health and safety of all involved, and we are working with public experts and government officials on a comprehensive set of guidelines and to ensure that appropriate medical protocols and protections are in place.”
The restart of play would only include a special format involving 22 teams, but the exact format has not been decided. There appears to be a truncated season and then playoff, according to various sourced reports.
The season would supposedly start the end of July. Walt Disney World is scheduled to reopen its theme parks starting July 11.
One of the places that has been talked about housing the NBA is the Coronado Springs Resort. While not yet confirmed, the resort would be an ideal location.
The resort is Disney’s largest convention resort with 2,385 guest rooms, more than 220,000 square feet of dedicated event function space, four swimming pools, walking/jogging trails and a variety of restaurants and kitchens for convention service.
