Sports

Actions

NBA in talks to resume season at Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex

Posted at 3:01 PM, May 23, 2020
and last updated 2020-05-23 15:01:22-04

INDIANAPOLIS — Will the Indiana Pacers' season resume in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic? The answer to that question is beginning to look a little clearer.

The NBA and the NBA Players Association are in talks with The Walt Disney Company about resuming the 2019-20 season in late July at ESPN's Wide World of Sports Complex, according to a tweet from the league's official Twitter account.

NBA chief communications officer Mike Bass called the conversations "exploratory." The single-site scenario would involve the league playing games, holding practices and housing players at the 255-acre campus that includes multiple arenas and could host games simultaneously.

"The NBA, in conjunction with the National Basketball Players Association, is engaged in exploratory conversations with The Walt Disney Company about restarting the 2019-20 NBA season in late July at Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Florida as a single site for an NBA campus for games, practices and housing," Bass said. "Our priority continues to be the health and safety of all involved, and we are working with public health experts and government officials on a comprehensive set of guidelines to ensure that appropriate medical protocols and protections are in place."

The Pacers were 39-26 and tied for fifth place in the Eastern Conference when the NBA suspended its season March 11.

The announcement comes a day after the NHL announced it was in discussion with its Players' Association to resume play with a 24-team playoff system.