The NBA announced the plans it has already established to begin laying off personnel from its organization while preparing the restart of the regular season competition, scheduled for July 30.
The league has already laid off several workers due to the “restructuring” of the organization, confirmed NBA spokesman Mike Bass in a statement.
The exact number is not clear, but it is believed that it could exceed 100 people.
“We are restructuring certain functions in the league office to better align with changes in our business, particularly around digital media, and to be well positioned for future growth,” Bass said.
The NBA postponed its season on March 11 due to the new coronavirus pandemic and plans to return in late July with 22 of its teams on Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Florida.
Those teams will play eight regular season games solely for the purpose of fulfilling, in part, the local television contracts of at least six clubs that will be eliminated, without being able to make the playoffs.
The WNBA is also expected to begin its regular season on July 24 at the IMG Academy in Bradenton (Florida), with a schedule reduced to 22 games, from the normal 34 games so far.
It’s unclear whether the layoffs were the result of the coronavirus or a previously planned cost-cutting measure. EFE (HN)