This archive report was first published on 24 May 2020.
Published on May 24, 2020, the National Basketball Association (NBA) confirmed that it is exploring options to restart the 2019-20 season at a single site in Florida in late July.
The league is in talks with The Walt Disney Company about using their ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida, as a single site for an NBA campus for games, practices, and housing.
League spokesman Mike Bass confirmed that the NBA is engaged in exploratory conversations with Disney officials about restarting the season in late July.
According to Bass, the league's priority remains the health and safety of all involved, and they 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 NBA suspended its season indefinitely on March 11 in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
ESPN reported that the NBA has a board of governors virtual meeting set for next Friday, which is expected to provide additional details for players and coaches on plans to proceed with the restart.
Las Vegas has also been mentioned as a potential host, but the 220-acre ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, with three arenas and 24,000 hotel rooms, would allow the league to restart play in a closed-door environment.
The complex previously hosted the Jr. NBA World Championships, and Major League Soccer is also looking at using the facility at the same time as the NBA.
