Written by Joyce Reyes-Aguila
Life under quarantine got a much-needed lift for basketball fans in the Philippines last June 16. The National Basketball Association (NBA) restarted its season after a three-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The playoffs are currently underway within what is called the “NBA Bubble.”
The league had established an isolated facility in Orlando, Florida for 22 of its 30 teams to conclude regular seasons games and determine eventual playoff contenders. Everyone in the bubble is regularly tested, and protocols are in place to keep the place safe from the pandemic. Players are not allowed to have guests, the wearing of masks is a requirement, and a hotline is available for anyone to report violations within the bubble. Almost a month into it, the league remains virus-free, with very few violations.
The bubble has not only changed the way the sport is played. It has also transformed the way fans experience the game. Pre-pandemic NBA games were televised from large arenas with dance squads, performers, and games for a live audience. In the bubble, only players, coaching staff, and limited team personnel can be at the venue during a game. Select members of the media and league officials are also allowed.
Fans now have the unique opportunity to appear on a giant screen as part of the league’s “virtual crowd” (more on this later).
But what about the rest of us? How can we cheer our team on when we’re outside of the facility also known as the “Disney Bubble”? Here is how we can get in the action.
- Become a virtual fan. On nba.com, registration forms are available for fans to become part of the Virtual Fan Experience. According to the league, signing up provides access to join “an exclusive group of fans who can follow the game and cheer on the players in real-time via a live video/audio feed.” The virtual seat requires access to Microsoft Teams. If you are hardcore fan, see if any of the dedicated team podcasts or social media pages offer opportunities to win a seat as a virtual fan through their promos.
- Hashtags. You can count on NBA fans to express their sentiments online while a game is on-going. Let your voice be heard! Do you agree with a foul call? What do you think of the officiating? Among the players, who do you think are thriving and struggling inside the bubble? Even your Instagram stories can include team hashtags. You’ll never know if your favorite player is viewing posts to kill time in the bubble.
- Discover new voices. You most likely follow analysts like ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski or the dedicated experts for your team like Jason Quick of The Oregonian. This bubble season, search for other experts to widen the insight you have on the game. Search for local newspapers in your team’s state and see who covers the beat. Their columns and analyses often provide anecdotes, facts, that national media outlets do not include in their stories. Follow these folks on social media for quick updates on how they view on-going games. We can always become better students of basketball!
- Keep at it! Whether your team is down 1-3 (like our Portland Trailblazers as of this writing) or already certain of playing in the second round, cheer them on! Die-hard basketball fans know that (and say the next words out loud like former NBA star Kevin Garnett) anything is possible. Comebacks, heroic players on the floor playing through pain, and do-or-die matches are what basketball fans live for. So never give up and show how truly dedicated you are to your team, whether they are from big franchise markets or not. Go Blazers!
- Post online. Fish your jerseys and team shirts from out of the closet! Post your bubble team ambiance, bubble game drink, and bubble fashion. Sure, your friends cheering for the other team will likely have something to say or respond via a similar post. But that should not stop you from releasing what you have inside your thought bubble.
