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ESPN WWoS "Bubble" Usage

Trib Live; The Pgh. Penguins announced today that nine players who were withheld from the first week of training camp as a precaution for secondary exposures to covid have been cleared to practice. None tested positive.
 
First look at courts that will be used for games, starting with exhibition games which begin tomorrow:




Here's a look at the court in The Arena (the newest built facility, just opened in 2018):


and another court in the Visa Center:


Broadcast Center:
 
Watching the Magic vs. Clippers game right now (never thought i'd be so excited to say that) and I have a few observations:

1.) It looks great on TV
2.) The lack of crowd *noise* is odd, but unlike other leagues where you can see empty seats, the NBA has an advantage in that there is no seats! The camera's are doing a good job at focusing on only the court too, which helps. So while it is audibly jarring, visually, it doesn't look as weird.

Also, on the MLS side of things, the 9am games have been great timing for me, although for the last three days there's been a grand total of 1 goal in the 9am games, so the play has been hard to get behind sometimes. The Miami/NYC game was especially rough the other day. But i'm starting to pick up on the rules more and more and getting into it! You may have made me a fan of the sport, @Legacy.
 
Watching the Magic vs. Clippers game right now (never thought i'd be so excited to say that) and I have a few observations:

1.) It looks great on TV
2.) The lack of crowd *noise* is odd, but unlike other leagues where you can see empty seats, the NBA has an advantage in that there is no seats! The camera's are doing a good job at focusing on only the court too, which helps. So while it is audibly jarring, visually, it doesn't look as weird.

Also, on the MLS side of things, the 9am games have been great timing for me, although for the last three days there's been a grand total of 1 goal in the 9am games, so the play has been hard to get behind sometimes. The Miami/NYC game was especially rough the other day. But i'm starting to pick up on the rules more and more and getting into it! You may have made me a fan of the sport, @Legacy.

Did they have to bleep out any words or can you hear much of the trash talk?
 
Did they have to bleep out any words or can you hear much of the trash talk?
I haven't heard any bleeping yet. You actually can't really hear the players. The sounds seems more focused on the court. The Fox Sports announcers said that there are 32 mics under the court to pick up sound, possibly to try and cover up a bit for some language.

Supposedly as the exhibition games roll on, there will be virtual fans shown on ESPN and TNT games. Not sure how that will come across, but we'll see.
 
Also, on the MLS side of things, the 9am games have been great timing for me, although for the last three days there's been a grand total of 1 goal in the 9am games, so the play has been hard to get behind sometimes. The Miami/NYC game was especially rough the other day. But i'm starting to pick up on the rules more and more and getting into it! You may have made me a fan of the sport, @Legacy.
lol

Getting people into soccer is a passion of mine.

This third round of games has been a trudge. Teams are starting to get tired and either know they’re moving on (so trying to conserve energy) or know they’re likely eliminated (so have less reason to try). Can’t really blame them though. A soccer player can run 7 to 12 miles in a single game, and these teams are on their third game in less than two weeks. Knock outs start soon, so hopefully the energy picks up.

Plus, we can get PK shootouts!
 
Watching the knockouts tonight. Something I hadn’t thought about is the humidity and how Orlando is used to playing in it. That actually may give them a weird sense of home field advantage as this goes along.
 
So I’m assuming this is a temporary bowling alley in a convention center? For them to let them go to Splitsville would be a major risk, although it never has reopened to the public.
 
Haha. Bowling in their basketball kicks? No bowling shoes available?
Could've been they aren't allowed to wear communal shoes?

And that IS Splitsville, btw. You can tell they are on the second floor at lanes near the outdoor balcony. Notice how the imagery above the lanes and the styling of the numbers is exactly the same in this picture as the video. I guess i'm surprised they are letting the players go there considering Disney Springs is well populated and i'd think the players would be at a greater risk of exposure. Of course they'll be bussed in and out and taken in through back doors so it's probably as safe as can be.
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Could've been they aren't allowed to wear communal shoes?

True, but they usually disinfect the rental shoes after each return like how the guy is disinfecting the bowling balls in the picture you showed so I'm not sure that would be an issue. Unless they don't have adequate stock of size 13+ required for NBA players.
 
True, but they usually disinfect the rental shoes after each return like how the guy is disinfecting the bowling balls in the picture you showed so I'm not sure that would be an issue. Unless they don't have adequate stock of size 13+ required for NBA players.
Also could be they just didn't want to put on bowling shoes and prefer their basketball shoes.
 
Watching the knockouts tonight. Something I hadn’t thought about is the humidity and how Orlando is used to playing in it. That actually may give them a weird sense of home field advantage as this goes along.
A bit. Maybe. It’s never been a real advantage for us before.

As a City fan, there’s an odd history of Orlando City getting a rash of “soft tissue” injuries in July. It’s been like clockwork since they joined the MLS. They got a new fitness coach this offseason, and look fine so far (weirdness of 2020 aside). BUT, the other teams in this tournament have had a lot of “soft tissue” injuries. So, there’s definitely something in the water.
 
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Hey I was a major skeptic about any of this, and I am SO pleasantly surprised!! This is how these leagues are likely going to need to operate for at least next season as well. So this is a super positive sign if you ask me. So happy to say I was wrong. Unlike the MLB, the NBA and MLS clearly took the time to plan out what would actually be safe for the people involved. Where the MLB, just wanted to make sure games happen and other than their being no crowds, have changed practically NOTHING to their league. Like legit nothing. They've added COvid testing (DUH choice), and thats it.

So happy for the NBA and MLS. I feel I can watch/root in good faith at least knowing the people involved developed a plan for everyone to be safe.
 
This is wild. Shows how things get in and out of the bubble and the giant warehouse operation they're running to get packages to teams and players. It's quite the operation.
 
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