NBA and NBAPA's Seamless Agreement on COVID-19 Insurance Just Put MLB to Shame
The NBA has a return-to-play plan in place that has had a few hiccups along the way. Players like Kyrie Irving expressed concerns, especially about player safety, and the league did its best to address those with care.
That is the exact opposite of what has happened in Major League Baseball. We are still awaiting an official agreement to play a 2020 season following Rob Manfred's schedule implementation, and player safety remains a top concern. A reported insurance plan for NBA players, just agreed to in a snap on Tuesday, just put MLB owners to shame in their negotiations.
NBA and NBPA have agreed to put into place an enhanced insurance plan for players in Orlando that would cover career-ending injuries related to Covid-19 or conventional basketball injuries, sources tell ESPN. Potential group policy would cover players for several million dollars.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 23, 2020
This is an easy move for the NBA owners, and one that should be both mandatory and common sense given the circumstances surrounding COVID-19.
The NBA wants to finish the season, and having extended insurance is a no-brainer. This is in contrast to MLB, where some owners don't even want a season, and players are still trying to figure out if the environment will be safe and what will or will not be protected.
Major League Baseball has asked the MLB Players Association if players can report to camp by July 1 and will sign off on health-and-safety protocols. The union has been asked to respond by 5 p.m. Tuesday.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 23, 2020
In other words: MLB is planning on a season.
MLB has looked terrible in its negotiations with players, and could learn a lesson or two from the NBA. Giving players better insurance coverage during an unprecedented pandemic is a good start.