The upcoming NBA All-Star Game set to be held on March 7 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta continues to be the talk of the town to this day. A handful of the league's top players in Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and Milwaukee Bucks main man Giannis Antetokounmpo both expressed their dismay over the ongoing plans to hold the game amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sam Amick of The Athletic reported that the NBA will likely not heed the opinions of their players. Having an All-Star Game will greatly help them in their bid to recuperate from the losses incurred by the pandemic which reportedly totaled a whopping $1.5 billion.
According to Amick, the All-Star Game will serve as an aid to the league's middle class which reportedly consists of a group of players along with the individuals working in league and team offices are the ones that were heavily affected by pay cuts.
In addition to the event's contributions on the financial aspect, the NBA believes in its capabilities to hold the All-Star Game safely without putting any individual's life in danger. The restrictions are reportedly going to be tight and the timeline for the event will be condensed.
Players will arrive in Atlanta on Saturday afternoon/evening and would immediately leave the city by Sunday night. They are also limited to stay within designated hotels and the arena without any exceptions to the rule.
As per Amick, the league's fans continue to support the annual All-Star Game which showed in last year's numbers that garnered over 7.3 million viewers. The success of the Orlando Bubble last season continues to be the league's driving force behind their adamance to push through with the All-Star game, confidently knowing that they can host events even in places perceived by any as unsafe.
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