Walt Disney World announced its plans to reopen in July with the resorts Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom set to open on July 11 and Epcot and Hollywood Studios opening on July 15. While some were concerned about how the NBA would be impacted by this news, Yahoo’s Keith Smith provided an encouraging update on the situation.
A deal has not officially been reached between the NBA and Disney, but the two sides are negotiating a plan to have the league play games at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex beginning in late July.
The season was paused on March 11 due to the coronavirus pandemic, and it’s unclear if it would resume with the regular season or playoffs. Despite that, the 220-acre sports complex would allow the league to restart play while limiting outside exposure to COVID-19. The Disney complex has three arenas and ample hotel accommodations suitable for an NBA return in Orlando.
Smith reported the Coronado Springs Resort has been “largely taken out of inventory for booking” in July, but while it could be a solid hotel for players to stay at, it seems like it may have been taken out of inventory because the parks won’t open until mid-July.
While the NBA still is sorting things out, the NHL announced its return-to-play plan this week that will consist of a 24-team playoff with two hub cities hosting 12 teams from the Eastern and Western Conferences. The cities will be determined at a later date, and clubs can resume training no earlier than July 1.
Meanwhile, Major League Baseball is struggling to come to terms with its players’ association on a deal due to player concerns over health, safety and compensation. However, the league is targeting a training date in July.
Major League Soccer, which also is headed for Orlando in a resume to the season, is altering its return-to-play plans to work within a tighter time frame. Similarly, the National Women’s Soccer League announced its plans for a 25-game tournament in Utah beginning next month.
Erin Walsh is a Boston sports fan through and through. Although many think Boston sports fans are insufferable, Erin tries to see things from a neutral perspective. Her passion is hockey, and she believes defense wins championships. In addition to covering sports for Yardbarker, she covers Boston sports for NBC Sports Boston. Follow her on Twitter @ewalsh90
