Coronavirus Sports: Philadelphia 76ers President Chris Heck Explains How Team Is Staying Connected To Fanbase During Pandemic
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The NBA season has been on pause for two months because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the league says they won't rush to make a decision on resuming games. So how are the Sixers dealing with the time off and what plans do they have when play starts again?
One of the biggest questions in sports right now is when will basketball be back? It's something Philadelphia 76ers President Chris Heck thinks about every day.
"We're excited for this season to continue but we're also excited for next season and what that looks like," he said.
And Heck's focus isn't just on the game itself, it's on the fans and having them involved during these tough times.
"It's a journey none of us expected to be on but we're doing the best we can and we're trying to be proactive of giving people some fun, some good news. Something that is light during this time," Heck said.
To connect with fans, the Sixers launched a contest for fans to design the next shootaround shirt, which the players wear during warm-ups.
These are the five finalists and the Sixers will announce the winner later this week.
"We'll have some fun with it and the winner, we'll invite them to that first game back and we'll have them ring the bell and sit on the court," Heck said.
Just when they will wear the shirts remains to be seen.
But you've got to hand it to the Sixers for staying in touch with their fanbase.