On Friday, the NBA’s board of governors discussed possible changes for the 2020-21 season. According to ESPN sources, some of the items on the agenda include when the season will start, the length of the regular season, and fan attendance amidst the pandemic.

The inception of the next NBA season could begin as soon as Christmas Day or at a later time around Martin Luther King Day in mid-January. Even though the pandemic provides a series of issues surrounding fan attendance at games, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said last month, “The goal for us next season is to play a standard season, 82-game season and playoffs. In home arenas, in front of fans.”

Internally, there are two sides to the debate regarding when to begin the new NBA season. Some NBA governors prefer to expedite the process by tipping off on Christmas, while other executives want to wait a little while longer to ensure a stronger likelihood of fan attendance.

Ultimately, any decisions about the upcoming season must be approved by the NBA Players Association, who has already met with the league several times. The players are also working with the league on financial logistics including salary-cap numbers and luxury-tax figures.

Also, the 2020 NBA Draft will be held virtually at ESPN’s headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut on Wednesday, Nov. 18 on ESPN, and free agency is expected to follow shortly after. In addition to this, Friday, Oct. 30 will also be an important date for the league as it is the deadline for any modifications to be made to the collective bargaining agreement for this season. For more sports coverage, click here.