Mark Cuban Remains Cautious As Texas Allows Professional Sports To Resume Without Fans

Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Monday announced the next phases of the reopening of the state. Among the many activities and businesses that are seeing coronavirus-related restrictions eased are professional sporting events. The governor is allowing them to resume at the end of the month.

“Also, some professional sports can return on May 31,” Abbott said. “That includes pro golf, auto racing, baseball, softball, tennis, football and basketball.”

Each league must first seek approval from the Department of State Health Services with an actionable plan that “incorporates applicable minimum standard heath protocols.” Further, the governor’s orders state that spectators may not be physically in attendance, ignoring Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick’s calls to allow fans in the stands.

Since the outset of the NBA suspending its season on March 11, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has advocated for the league to resume games without fans. He’s even gone so far as to say that there’s a moral obligation to get the league up and running again. But while Monday’s announcement should be encouraging, Cuban remains cautious.

“We won’t do anything till [sic] we know we can make it safe,” Cuban said in an email.

Safety has always been a major concern for Cuban. He’s said repeatedly that his decisions, and those of the league, are being guided by the recommendations of health officials and scientists. As such, the Mavericks are handling pandemic with care.

The NBA allowed teams in states that eased shelter-in-place orders, like Texas, to begin reopening their practice facilities on May 8. So far, 17 teams have done so, including the Houston Rockets. However, the Mavericks’ facilities remain closed to players and personnel with no timetable to reopen because of the threat COVID-19 still poses.

“Even though we can try to take all different kinds of precautions, it’s just not worth it, particularly when our guys are staying in shape and they’re going outside and shooting on outdoor hoops and working out in various ways,” Cuban said recently. “So, I just don’t think the risk is worth the reward.”

That won’t be the case forever. Among the scenarios the league is considering to restart the season is a “template” in which teams would conduct a training camp program in their own practice facilities prior to the resumption of games.

Those games look closer to becoming a reality as more states decide to ease restrictions and move forward with reopening. In a recent meeting with President Donald Trump, Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta outlined the league’s approach to resuming the season.

“I think what they’re doing is waiting to see what happens in certain states and if we’re going to be able to play,” Fertitta said. “Making sure the virus continues to go in the right direction in the next few weeks and I think that if things keep going in the way that it’s going, I think the NBA, the commissioner, Adam Silver—who has done an unbelievable job through this—and the 30 owners will make the decision to try and start the season up again.”

Even as the league lurches toward a restart, Cuban’s caution is warranted. The day following Abbott’s announcement, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins reported 14 new deaths from COVID-19, the deadliest day in the county. It also saw an additional 225 positive cases. As of Tuesday, 191 people have died from coronavirus and 7,904 have contracted it in Dallas County.

“As the Governor opens more and more businesses,” Jenkins tweeted, “it’s important that each of [us] focus not on what is legal, but also focus on what is safe and the recommendations of the public health committee…”

Cuban and the Mavericks appear to be doing just that.