REPORT: NBA Informs Teams to Prepare to Play Without Fans in Coronavirus Memo

March 6, 2020, 11:43pm EST (Updated: January 18, 2023, 7:26pm)By Darrelle Lincoln

The Coronavirus is getting serious to the point that sports might be getting played differently going forward.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium and Marc Stein of the New York Times, the league has reportedly reached out to all teams about the possibility of playing games without fans and media in attendance:

NBA has been sending several informational memos to teams in order to prepare for whatever develops from coronavirus situation. A reminder of existing rules regarding postponement or cancellations of games was provided Friday night. https://t.co/17ac6wSiDt
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 7, 2020

Postponing or canceling any game due to the coronavirus is a league office decision but the NBA, sources say, has notified teams to start "developing" contingency plans in case "it were to become necessary to play a game with only essential staff present" — no fans, media, etc
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) March 7, 2020

There are now 29 states with cases of the novel coronavirus. The death toll in the USA has reached 17 as of Friday evening.