2021 NBA All-Star Game and Events Might Be Made for TV Only Event
There is no doubt that the Covid-19 pandemic has completely dominated everything about the year 2020. People were locked in their homes watching games and events on TV. Many hundreds of thousands of people became sick, some even died. Businesses were closed. The media ran amok with wild stories. It was the craziest year that many will ever see.
Sports Took a Hit as Well
The sports world was captivated by Covid-19 as well. Many leagues closed it down, and it took several months before they reopened. This not only hurt the leagues, their players, and fans, but casinos as well. With no sports to bet on and customers being denied the ability to visit these casinos, several of them took a very large financial hit. There are even concerns that some may never open again.
Despite this grim prognosis, many of the largest sports leagues are getting back to normal. Fans may not be able to attend many of these contests, but basketball, football, baseball, cricket, hockey, and others are back in action. This is not only allowing fans the opportunity to watch their favorite sports, but to also place wagers. This is why many are looking for a great site and bestcasinosites.net has all the details. They not only provide the action but give information about the legal websites where you can bet online from the Philippines.
NBA Has a Champion
Many leagues were forced to shut down during the pandemic, but several decided to just pick up where they had left off once play resumed. This happened in the NHL as well as in the NBA. In fact, the Los Angeles Lakers won their 17th NBA title with the series victory over the Miami Heat.
This occurred just two weeks ago, and now the NBA turns its focus onto the 2020-21 season. This was initially expected to get underway on December 1, but that date is in question.
Several dramatic changes will impact the upcoming season. First off, the season will start nearly 2 months later than last season, which began on October 22. While December 1 is set as a tentative date, it would not be surprising if that was even delayed three additional weeks. The NBA is a big draw on Christmas day, and league officials may see it as a smart marketing move to begin action on or around that day when fans are expected to be watching games and events on TV.
Currently, all teams are expected to be playing, but there is the elephant in the room that must be considered. The Toronto Blue Jays were not allowed to play their home games in Canada because of the American travel ban imposed by the Canadian government, and it is expected that this ban could very well still be in place when the NBA season kicks off. That will likely mean that the Toronto Raptors will be forced to move their home games to the United States with Louisville mentioned as a potential home.
What About the All-Star Game?
The tentative start date to the NBA season is going to have an impact on just about everything the league does this year. That includes the NBA All-Star game. This was to be played during President’s Day weekend (February 12-14) in Indiana, but that date has already been pushed back.
In a recent report by Indiana-based basketball reporter Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files, he is quoted as saying that the All-Star game may still occur, but it will not happen as scheduled. Several reasons are being given for the delay, with the most important being that the starting date of the season has still yet to be established. Should the season not begin until early January, it would make sense to have an all-star game when players had only been on the court for about a month.
The one piece of good news is that this does not look to be a cancellation, only a postponement. That is good news to Indiana basketball fans, who have been relishing the opportunity to host this mid-season classic since the Pacers were named as the 2021 All-Star game hosts back in 2017.
In a statement provided by Pacers president Rick Fuson, he explained that “While it appears NBA All-Star 2021 is unlikely to happen on Presidents’ Day weekend, we are excited about continuing to collaborate with the NBA as we look to the future.”
It Will Be in Indiana
The one thing that seems clear is that the NBA wants to get back on the court. The NFL is already playing, and the NHL is expected to return to the ice near the end of November. The NBA does not want to find themselves left out in the cold by waiting too long to get their season underway.
Part of any successful NBA season is the All-Star game. This draws massive amounts of media exposure, especially during a time when the NFL has already concluded their season. The option to allow Indiana to host the following year does not seem viable considering that the 2022 All-Star game will be in Cleveland and the 2023 classic will be in Salt Lake City. Neither of these venues are expected to generously give the Pacers their spot in the sun.
Fans can be sure that the game will be in Indiana sometime during 2021. It will just be a matter of when the NBA is able to finalize a schedule. With the calendar almost reaching November, it would not be surprising to see the December 1 date eliminated. Already NBA sources are reporting that the season will likely begin on December 22, which would coincide with the Christmas extravaganza.
Once this date is set, fans can expect that All-Star games and events on TV date will be set as well. No news has been provided as to whether fans will be allowed to attend contests when the season begins. As with the NFL, that may be dependent upon state guidelines.