Cavs: Fans could be prohibited from NBA games for rest of year due to coronavirus precautionary measures

Given how serious novel coronavirus concerns are, the NBA is wanting to limit the potential for further spread of it, and due to that, fans will likely be prohibited from attending Cavs home games and for other teams around the league for the rest of the year. Or the league reportedly could take a hiatus.

At this point, there is very little presence in terms of reported novel coronavirus cases in the Cleveland area. However, there is a growing possibility that fans could be prohibited from going to Cleveland Cavaliers home games and all other games in NBA arenas, and that’s likely to be the case until further notice.

According to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on Wednesday, h/t News 5 Cleveland’s Drew Scofield, there will be an order to come in the next day or so “limiting mass gatherings in Ohio after it was discovered that a man in Stark County contracted the virus via community spread.”

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In terms of what qualifies as community spread, the health officials knowledgeable deem that, per Scofield, as having “no history of travel outside the United States” and having “no contact with someone else with the disease.”

Scofield then noted how the number of reported cases globally can be seen “by the World Health Organization (WHO) in their coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) situation reportexternal icon.”

As of March 11, there are four confirmed cases of novel coronavirus in Ohio, h/t the 10 TV WBNS Columbus Web staff and per Ohio health officials.

Furthermore, the Mid American Conference tournament for both men and women, which is seemingly the reason for the timing of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ current six-game road trip, are reportedly being closed off in relation to attendance to only players, essential staff and immediate families of those participating.

NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, which decide the championships for both, won’t have fan attendance, in relation to a COVID-19 advisory panel’s recommendation, and NCAA President Mark Emmert released a statement detailing how while it was difficult, it was the proper decision to prohibit fans from being at games and limiting attendance at NCAA events.

Along with that, the Columbus Blue Jackets announced on Wednesday that their remaining home games will be closed to the public, given novel coronavirus concerns.

There was said to be a growing possibility that NBA teams and the league will take similar precaution, and per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Golden State Warriors were going to host the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday in what will likely be a game without any fans, and that’s looking to be the case for Golden State home games for a while. The Warriors’ precaution came from the San Francisco Health Office’s order prohibiting gatherings of 1,000 people or more “from assembling,” as Wojnarowski stated.

Not surprisingly, the Warriors themselves then announced that their game on Thursday versus the Nets will be played without fans, due to precaution exercised related to novel coronavirus.

Wojnarowski on Wednesday then reported how the NBA is considering moving contests away from locations where the COVID-19 issue is at the highest level of severity, and how games could be moved to neutral sites or opponent arenas that haven’t had outbreaks. The NBA, NHL, MLB and MLS have also issued a joint statement already on Monday on how given medical concerns, media won’t be allowed in locker rooms.

Fox Sports Ohio/Cavs sideline reporter Angel Gray tweeted out an example of what that has meant, as media had to do availability with players and coaches with more personal space given, such as with Cavs head coach J.B. Bickerstaff here, in the hallway outside the visitors locker room at the United Center, the home of the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday before the meeting between the two later on. That resulted in a close 108-103 loss for Bickerstaff and the Wine and Gold.

Also, according to Wojnarowski and ESPN’s Zach Lowe, there was to be a conference call set for later on Wednesday between the league/NBPA and its board of governors, and Wojnarowski had more to add about potential measures taken by the NBA and teams, such as the Cleveland Cavaliers, in relation to fans and how the league could proceed the rest of the 2019-20 season.

"“In a meeting on the coronavirus crisis Wednesday, the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association discussed ways to continue the season without the cancellation or loss of games — while conceding the sport was trending toward a period without fans in attendance at arenas, sources told ESPN.The NBA/NBPA discussions were a prelude to a larger conference call set with the league’s board of governors later on Wednesday, sources said.The NBA is exploring ways to allow them to continue playing and televising games during the coronavirus crisis, even with it increasingly likely that the league will do so in empty arenas, sources said. The NBA is bracing for losses of hundreds of millions of dollars across the sport, sources said.”"

Wojnarowski and Lowe then reiterated how the league is weighing their options in terms of playing games in opponent arenas, or neutral sites, in again, hoping to limit the possibility of cases and stated how games could be veered away from cities that have more reported cases of COVID-19.

As a further update on the matter, Wojnarowski and Lowe added that the outcome from the conference call was that the season could continue with no fans in games, or the league would “take a hiatus” for a period of time. The report then said the league is expected to have a decision “as soon as Thursday” on what is decided.

Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor also recently emphasized how the Cavaliers are exercising proper precautions, in the mean time.

Fedor touched on how Cavaliers big man Kevin Love is taking extensive measures to ensure he’s not susceptible to contracting novel coronavirus, for instance, and Fedor hit on other examples of how players/staff are doing their absolute best to ensure the safety of those in the organization.

Looking at what’s to come for the Cavs, at the moment, they have five games left in a six-game road trip, with a game at the Charlotte Hornets on Friday next, and their next home game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse is set for March 24 against the Sacramento Kings. The NBA’s decision on Thursday will ultimately decide what’s conducted as far as the upcoming schedule.