On his recent conference call with reporters, 76ers General Manager Elton Brand mentioned the Wilmington Fieldhouse complex as a training option during the COVID-19 pandemic. That would depend on how New Jersey proceeds with the easing of restrictions, since the Sixers’ main facility is located in Camden.

It’s a similar issue for the Philadelphia Union, who train in Delco, which is currently under the “red phase” designation for state Coronavirus protocols. As such, the team began individual workouts at the Fieldhouse today, moving temporarily over state lines.

Via press release:

Philadelphia Union today announced the team has been approved to begin voluntary individual workouts on an outdoor training field at the 76ers Fieldhouse in Wilmington, DE on Monday, May 18. This week the club will hold sessions Monday through Friday, with each day consisting of multiple separate sessions. In keeping with health and safety requirements, a maximum of four players will participate in each session spread out across one outdoor field.

Health and safety protocol set by Major League Soccer prohibits media access to the complex including parking lots and training grounds. Access will be restricted to players and essential staff only. Philadelphia Union will provide media with training footage, photos and soundbites following the workouts.

The individual player workout protocol prohibits access to club facilities including but not limited to locker rooms, team gyms and team training rooms. Team gyms and training rooms may still only be accessed by players receiving post-operative and rehabilitation treatment, as directed by the club’s Chief Medical Officer.

There’s a laundry list of guidelines the team needs to follow, which includes PPE and disinfecting stations. Fields are divided into four quadrants, which can feature one player doing individual drills but not interacting with teammates. That’s a little bit much, in my opinion, since passing the ball back and forth between quadrants is a harmless activity. You’re not touching it with your hands or licking it or spitting on it or breathing on it.

Anyway, it’s a start, and this is a way to begin training despite the shutdown order in Pennsylvania. Maybe the Sixers go this route with the Fieldhouse and take advantage of their proximity to Delaware, depending on what happens with Governor Murphy, New Jersey, and the NBA.