Protection of players prioritized

Coronavirus prompts pro leagues to limit locker-room access

Amid coronavirus concerns, the NBA, MLS, MLB and NHL are closing all locker rooms to the media and non-essential personnel until further notice.

The Orlando Magic and Orlando City will observe the new policy implemented after recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control.

The NBA released a statement, reading in part, “Given the issues that can be associated with close contact in pre- and post-game settings, all team locker rooms and clubhouses will be open only to players and essential employees of teams and team facilities until further notice. Media access will be maintained in designated locations outside of the locker room and clubhouse setting.”

Magic director of communications George Galante said Tuesday night the Magic locker room will be closed indefinitely, beginning with Tuesday morning’s shootaround at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, where Orlando ends a four-city road trip against the

Grizzlies Tuesday night.

Media members can make interview requests of players, who will then be ushered into a room, where the players will be kept at a “six-to-eight feet” distance from journalists. The procedures will be in place for media access before and after games as well as during team practices and shootarounds.

Joel Glass, the Magic’s senior vice president of communications, released a statement Monday that read:

“We are getting daily communication from the NBA and have established an internal task force to address any directives such as the temporary closed locker room policy. We will continue to monitor this situation and continue a professional working environment to allow the media to fulfill its responsibilities.”

College sports teams could follow suit, potentially altering coverage of conference basketball tournaments and the NCAA Tournament. Schools also could alter spring football media access.

The NBA and MLS have discussed potentially playing games without fans.

Top flight Italian soccer league Serie A played six matches without fans during the weekend before Italian officials announced Monday all sports competitions would be suspended to help contain the virus that has spread across the country.

In California, the ATP/WTA Indian Wells tennis tournament was canceled due to coronavirus fears.

LeBron James said he will not play if there are no fans at arenas.

Magic players have said they do not believe the NBA will host games without fans. The alternative would be to postpone or cancel games.

“Who knows? I don’t know how I feel about that,” Magic guard Terrence Ross said of playing games without fans. “It would be way different, for sure.”

Magic forward/guard Evan Fournier said it makes no sense to play games without fans.

“I don’t think it’s gonna happen. I think it’s either you cancel the game or you go as usual,” Fournier said. “Playing without fans, I don’t think it’s going to happen. It would be so weird. If it gets that bad, then you might as well tell us to stay home and wait until this is over.

“But cancel games and stuff? No, I don’t see it.”