The Success of the NBA Bubble

This is how players, coaches and staff were able to achieve effective safety protocols in the midst of a pandemic.

When the NBA heard of the news of the coronavirus, many were shocked, confused and as we all were, very unprepared.

The NBA’s swift response to move their organization to a more concentrated zone, which has been deemed “The Bubble,” allowed the continuation of its activities through vigorous protocols and procedures.

Beginning in just July, the original NBA schedule was pushed back to a further date, to combat the new virus during the time, and decided it was good for the NBA to relocate.

As a result, when news broke that the NBA season was shutting down March 11, there were quick questions and responses. 

Throughout months of uncertainty and lingering concerns, trust had to be placed in the hands of NBA commissioner Adam Silver, along with NBPA executive director Michele Roberts, to propel the season forward in a way that was safe.

The solution: an NBA bubble that would allow players to perform at the highest level in a safe, virus-free community. 

The venue chosen was ESPN’s Wide World of Sports in Walt Disney World.

July, 7, 2020, is the day where national sports teams and the rest of the world watched as players, staff, and coaches arrived at the NBA bubble for a season that was quite different than the others.

A season that would include no fans, little interaction with the outside community, and surrounding places and locations.

With the idea of isolation, to ensure that the virus doesn’t spread, there is a mental health aptitude of it all that encompasses a totally different life for every player.

Though there may have been different locations on site for players to gather, there is only so much an individual can do in isolation.

But, that didn’t put an excessive limit on what players and coaches could do within the bubble. 

From ping pong, to NBA 2K tournaments, and mini pool parties, life inside the bubble wasn’t so bad. 

It set the tone for how the rest of the national sports leagues would follow suit in their responses to the pandemic and the different ways to combat it.

The NFL has tried to take such measures to make sure everyone is safe. Being such a close-contact sport, the process was by no means an easy task.

When the NFL season first started, more than 200 people were said to have contracted the virus, and between Aug.1 and Nov. 7, 218 players, coaches and personnel were infected per ESPN.com

Postponements for games followed. 

As the NBA season continues to progress, there have so far been 31 postponements due to COVID-19 protocol issues; that being either players not following rules, or simply displaying symptoms according to NBA.com.

Despite this, the NBA has been leading the sports world in safety-protocol measures which are relatively rigorous, but provide the optimum success of making sure the virus does not become an issue.

Daily testing of players and staff began as early as December 1 of 2020, with anyone testing positive having to be monitored closely by health professionals within a 10-day period per ESPN.

Hugs, and handshakes between players and midcourt are limited, and players are forced to take a different approach when it comes to pre-game rituals and even playing in front of a relatively empty arena.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, there were 0 reported cases or outbreaks within the NBA bubble last year, and since then there have been no cases according to NBA.com.

At the Milwaukee Bucks’ arena Fiserv Forum, fans can be seen slowly starting to flood back into the stands, with certain restrictions.

With a facility that allowed the NBA to test its players with such accuracy, and isolate them, it is no surprise that the NBA has turned into a sort of model for the rest of the sports world.

 The success of the bubble has tremendously propelled the NBA forward in such a way that fans are slowly beginning to emerge once again in the stands.

Masks must be worn at all times, there is no standing to cheer for the home team, and everyone is socially distanced with the exception of family and friends.

Still, seeing fans back in the arena is a sight that many thought would be lost for quite some time.

Due to the success of the NBA bubble, and how that has inspired one of the biggest national sports leagues to display such prowess in handling the pandemic, a sense of normalcy seems just around the corner.