Many people in the D.C. and Los Angeles areas are buzzing over a possible showdown between Goodman League and Drew League in D.C., a game featuring several NBA stars. However, a new report indicates there are still some hoops to jump through before the August 20 game is a go.
Sports Illustrated's Sam Amick notes two major hoops: TV sponsorship and insurance. Drew League commissioner Dino Smiley tells Amick that he could not get ESPN to show the game and is now pitching a pay-per-view deal with UStream. He also tells Amick that he's still looking for sponsors to jump in and help pay travel costs.
More importantly, though, the NBA players will not be insured if they get injured. As Amick explains:
While Drew and Goodman are both free for fans on a normal weekend, this will be a paid exhibition (tickets range from $25 to $60). As such, one involved agent said the players' respective contracts aren't covered by their "For Love of the Game" clause with their NBA teams and a separate insurance policy will be needed in order for them to play
Smiley tells Amick that he still feels there is a "99 percent chance" the game takes place. However, the official Drew League twitter sent out a message on Saturday saying the following:
At this Point &Time The Goodman vs Drew Game will NOT take place unless a Sponsor steps in to cover expenses.
The account later replied to a tweet saying "maybe this thing should have waited until next year." Stay tuned.