The success of the NBA bubble

By George Pritchard ‘23

The mini-city at Disney World in Orlando is a way for the NBA to quell the coronavirus for staff and players, as well as continue to create entertainment for the fans.

On March 11, the NBA suspended the rest of its season, due to a player who tested positive for COVID-19. Then for four months, the NBA tried to come up with a way to restart safely.

That hiatus is when the NBA board of governors created the concept for the bubble. In the bubble announcement, Commissioner Adam Silver said the goal of the bubble was to “finish the season in a safe and responsible manner.”

Incredibly strict protocols were set in place. Food was delivered to the players in their hotel rooms. No family, friends or any other nonessential people would be allowed in, and no one would be allowed out.

ESPN’s Wide World of Sports at Disney Word is the location of the bubble. Courtesy of Flickr

And it worked.

As of Sept. 7, the most recent available testing information, there have been zero positive tests for anyone in the bubble since play resumed July 6. Eight straight weeks of competitive, fully operational basketball, and zero cases.

Coronavirus risk for players has clearly been minimized. But at what cost to the fans? According to Catlin Gabel School (CGS) sophomore Owen Cooper, an avid NBA spectator, very little has changed.                 

“The bubble hasn't really affected my experience as a fan, which is an absolute win for the NBA,” he said. “I think the fact that they created a system that keeps viewers just as engaged as they normally are during a pandemic is very impressive.”

As we near the end of the season, with the NBA Finals starting this week, the NBA has cultivated a safe, but still entertaining league. It appears that the NBA has pulled off the bubble.