NBA commissioner Adam Silver explained the league’s decision to tip off the 2020-21 season in a column for USA Today on Monday.
“We’ll no doubt face challenges, but like people everywhere, we want to work if we can do so safely and responsibly,” Silver wrote.
The season tips off Tuesday, with the Warriors visiting Kevin Durant and the Nets, and Clippers squaring off with the defending champion Lakers.
Most teams won’t be allowing fans in arenas, and gate receipts account for almost half of the league’s revenue. But the NBA will march on, anyway. Unlike last season, the league will not be competing in a bubble.
“The NBA is no different than many other organizations trying to find their way through the pandemic by balancing several factors, including the potential for significant economic hardship,” Silver wrote. “We are part of a U.S. sports industry that is responsible for 1.3 million jobs. Tens of thousands of people rely on our league and related businesses for their livelihoods.”
You can read the full column here.
