How will NBA organize 2021 All-Star Game amidst Covid-19?

The league's decision to go ahead with the NBA All-Star game has drawn a lot of flak lately, with LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo being two notable critics. Some new details have emerged regarding how the NBA is planning to organize the coveted affair, which are covered below.

How this year's NBA All-Star game will have a different look

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The NBA All-Star game is one of the most awaited events in the league calendar, as fans get to witness the biggest stars being pitted against each other. There were doubts whether the league was going to stage the high-profile event, but league commissioner Adam Silver came forward and quashed them.

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The NBA and NBPA still haven't mutually decided on all the details regarding the All-Star game, but here are some which can certainly be expected -

#1 - The players will be asked to arrive in Atlanta on Saturday afternoon and are expected to leave by Sunday night at the latest.

#2 - Only private transportation is allowed as the means for commuting for the NBA All-Star game this year. It can be through a car or an airplane.

#3 - There are only 2 venues where the players can stay - at a hotel which the NBA will decide, or at the State Farm Arena, the place where the All-Star game is supposed to take place.

#4 - Viewers can expect to see fans at the arena for the All-Star game, considering the Atlanta Hawks have been hosting about 1000 spectators at the State Farm Arena. The exact number hasn't been disclosed yet, but it is not expected to be a big one.

NBA officials are very confident they can pull the All-Star Game off safely because the restrictions for players are expected to be extreme and the timeline will be drastically condensed, sources tell @sam_amick.

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) February 9, 2021

Atlanta is one of the biggest Covid-19 hotspots in the USA, so it will be a huge challenge for the NBA to organize the All-Star game keeping the players' safety in mind. However, they already passed a sterner test last season, completing the 2019/2020 campaign in the Orlando bubble when the pandemic was at its peak.

LeBron James just delivered an extremely strong pushback to the idea of an All-Star Game in Atlanta next month in his post-game interview session ... although he did add that he would be there "physically but not mentally" if the game indeed takes place

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 5, 2021

One of the biggest reasons for holding the All-Star game this season, despite the ongoing epidemic, is the kind of financial impact it has. According to reliable data, last year's game saw 7.3 million viewers tune in to watch the biggest stars in the league lock horns against each other.

It has been a difficult year in economic terms for the league, and an All-Star game should help the NBA recoup some of the losses it had to endure.