THE Mildura Heat have made the absolute right call in pulling out of the Big V for 2020, for the sake of the entire community.
Before you even go into the financial reasons, what sporting organisation in their right mind would even contemplate sending people down to Melbourne.
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic – much less letting a contingent of Melbourne people come up here for the sake of a game of basketball?
For once, Mildura’s isolation has been incredibly helpful in the fact we’ve had a low number of active coronavirus cases in the area. We’ve done well to ensure the health and safety of the public.
Contrast that with Melbourne, which is the biggest virus hot spot in the country.
If the Mildura Heat men’s and women’s teams were to opt into competing this year in the Big V they may be playing games in Melbourne suburbs ravaged by the virus.
Or people from those suburbs would come up here.
The Mildura Heat players are fit and healthy and, in most cases, should be able to cope with contracting the virus.
You would hope.
But what about their families? What about the vulnerable in the community?
It is sad to miss out on a season, particularly with the Heat arguably competing on the biggest stage of any local side week in, week out, but there is a whole lot more at stake.
