‘Bubble city’ doesn’t cover it
Even in isolation, it takes much more than 10 players to put on an NBA game
It would take more than 10 players to stage a game in isolation.
Though it seems clear the NBA would like to salvage the 2019-20 season in some way, when and how that could be done remains unknown.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said all ideas are on the table. That would include the much-discussed notion of playing games in an isolated “bubble” location in which players, coaches and staff are sequestered in made-for-TV games played without fans in attendance.
Such a bubble city would bring many more individuals into a location than would ever appear on the players’ side of cameras.
How games might be scheduled, or even the weeks of training that would be required to ramp up toward the restart of a season, within that bubble is still a subject of no more than conjecture.
There could be a limited regular season to set the playoff teams and seeding. There could be short tournaments used to set the standings and postseason participants. There could be a postseason tournament before several playoff series begin in later rounds.
If any of those scheduling options requires a sequestered location, a virtual city would be set up with a great number of individuals on hand. Not including the numbers needed for food service, janitorial, management and maintenance of a site, along with executives from the league and teams, a large contingent of personnel would be needed to put on a game with no fans or media.
Players: 30
Including two-way players, teams can have up to 17 players on a roster. Excluding those players, most would likely have their full allotment of players with standard contracts available with 13 per team designated as active for each game.
Coaches: 10
NBA rules allow a head coach and three assistants on the front bench. Assuming at least one coach stationed behind the bench would be permitted, that would allow five coaches per team at each game.
Development coaches: 6
Development staffs vary greatly but would be especially important in the ramping up of a season. The NBA might not limit the development staffs, but an estimate of three per team might work.
Strength coaches: 4
Another area that could be especially valuable under the circumstances, teams typically travel at least two strength and conditioning coaches per game.
Game officials: 3 or 4
Since many more would be on site for other games, the NBA would probably have four officials at each game as with the playoffs.
Training staff: 8
This is a difficult category come up with numbers teams would want. Most teams have a head athletic trainer and two assistants, along with at least one person in a masseuse and physical therapist roles and usually more when at home.
Equipment managers/locker room attendants: 6
Teams typically travel their equipment manager with the home team providing two additional assistants to work in the locker rooms and on the bench during games.
Scorers’ table staff: 8
There would have to be staff to do the scorebook, shot clock, game clock along with the gamenight statisticians and a public address announcer.
Broadcast staff: 17 to 44
Each television broadcast team typically has four or people in the arena, two or three broadcasters, a stage manager and a statistician. Radio teams can have four also, but many now have just one broadcaster at road games along with one or two individuals provided by the home team working with the play-by play broadcaster. All of that, however, could be done from locations away from the bubble. The television broadcasts typically have four individuals working in the truck along with seven to 10 camera operators (national games have 10 to 20 cameras.)
Media relations: 4
Assuming there would be no media at the games, there would likely need to be two media relations staff members for each team at the games, likely to facilitate interviews with media in local markets and if broadcasters are on hand. There would need to be additional stat runners if broadcasters are on site.
Security 6
Teams have security stationed
at the end of each bench, along with a director of security with each team. Many players have their own security assistant.
Team photographers 2 to 4
There likely would be one for each team, and an additional photographer focusing on each team as pool photographers for the media.
Social media 4
Teams typically have two to four members of their social media staff at road games, but in a situation generally barring media could get by with one per team along with one per team from the league.
Game ops: 4
Though production of the games would be drastically scaled back without fans in the building, the league would want the broadcasts to sound and look as much like typical games as possible without fans.
Stat team: 4
In addition to the official stat crew, games have individuals on site to provide that information to coaches and media on location and elsewhere.
Ballboys/team attendants: 4
The numbers of ball boys and other attendants that work game nights varies, but the league could have two on each end of the court within the bubble.
Total: 120 to 150
It adds up pretty fast. A lot more than five-on-five at the gym.