Coronavirus prompts Mark Cuban to plan NBA arena family quarantine sections
Dallas Mavericks' billionaire owner laid out some ideas for NBA's return
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban discusses why he doesn't think NBA arenas are quite ready to host fans yet. Cuban later argues why he plans to cast his ballot for former Vice President Joe Biden in November and points to why he disagrees with President Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
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Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban laid out his vision for the NBA’s return Wednesday night.
When fans are back in the stands, social-distanced seating may not look entirely lonely. Families who live together would likely be able to sit together, the billionaire businessman told FOX News’ Sean Hannity.
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban looks on after a game against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Feb. 3, 2020, in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
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"We don't even have to do every other seat. When we get to where we are able to have fans we can quarantine group people together," Cuban said.
The NBA has been suspended since March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Even before fans return, the league may resort to playing games without fans in attendance, he said. That’s similar to the way NASCAR recently resumed its season with televised races and no fans in the stands.
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Cuban said pro basketball would probably follow suit. “We’re getting to that point, Sean, where we’re going to be able to do some testing and hopefully be able to play games,” he told Hannity. “I don’t think we are ready for fans yet but let us take that first step.”
If the NBA resumes, playing some games outside is a possibility, according to Cuban.
“We’ve played games outside before so you are in the right direction, it is obviously a lot safer to do it outside,” he said.
Although the NBA announced on May 8 that teams would begin to reopen practice facilities for player workouts, Cuban has not taken that step for his franchise yet.
Recently on the “77 Minutes in Heaven” podcast Cuban said allowing players to reconvene despite limited public access to testing is a risk “not worth the reward.”
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Still, the league has set rules to allow for safe and controlled environments for players to train that include having no more than four players in the facility at any one time and no head or assistant coaches participating. The league is also prohibiting group activities such as scrimmages.
On May 12, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver relayed to the league's Board of Governors that he wanted to make a final decision on whether the league would return to action within two to four weeks, with the hope of the first tipoff by mid-July
Earlier today, reports surfaced that the NBA was leaning toward resuming its season in Orlando, Florida, at Disney World where all the teams would play and 30 teams and staffs would be headquartered at the dozens of nearby hotels. Las Vegas had been previously suggested for an NBA-style encampment of teams and games on the "Strip."
The Minnesota Timberwolves are planning to reopen their practice facility Thursday. The T-Wolves join 14 other teams that have reportedly reopened camps. Those teams are: the New Orleans Pelicans, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Portland Trailblazer, Cleveland Cavaliers, Milwaukee Bucks, Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings, Toronto Raptors, Orlando Magic and Utah Jazz.