The NBA’s bubble at Walt Disney World in Orlando seems to be working just fine amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The regular season is slated to conclude here within the next day or so. After that, a play-in-tournament in the Western Conference and the 2020 NBA Playoffs will be the name of the game.
It now seems like the Association will ultimately crown a champion in Orlando at some point in October.
NBA once again reports zero positive COVID-19 tests
For the fourth consecutive week, the NBA has officially announced zero positive tests of the virus. This time, out of the 342 that were conducted on campus in Orlando.
It’s absolutely tremendous news, and goes to show us how this atmosphere can work even with the pandemic still plaguing the United States.
There was some initial concern over the NBA holding the bubble in Florida, one of the epicenters of the COVID-19 pandemic around the world. Even as the state registers its highest 24-hour death toll, Orlando is not being impacted.
It could also be a precursor to other leagues following suit.
MLB considering bubble for the playoffs
Given the widespread outbreaks of COVID-19 we’ve seen in clubhouses around the Major League Baseball world, the season seems to be on thin ice. That’s no more true than with the St. Louis Cardinals, who still remain sidelined after a major outbreak.
Now, MLB is considering a bubble option for both the playoffs and the World Series. It would be a way for the league to avoid the outbreaks we have seen through the first three weeks of the 2020 regular season.
Will the NFL consider a bubble?
Logistics don’t point in this direction. The 2020 NFL regular season is slated to start in less than a month. As of right now, there’s only been great COVID-related news around the NFL world. That could, and will likely change, once Week 1 comes calling.
For now, the NFL is still dead set on playing games at home venues without fans in attendance. That last part is convoluted by the likes of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who seems to think his team can welcome in fans amid the pandemic in Texas. It will be interesting to see how all of this turns out.
For now, the NBA is acting as a model for other professional sports leagues moving forward. At the very least, its bubble-like atmosphere makes sense until there’s a widespread COVID-19 vaccine available.