Coronavirus: Basketball hoops dismantled to keep people from playing during pandemic

KINGSPORT, Tenn. — All of the rims are missing from city-owned basketball courts in Kingsport, Tennessee.

It wasn’t because vandals swooped in and took them. Instead, city officials had them taken down on purpose to prevent people from playing basketball at city parks when they should be practicing social distancing, WJHL reported.

Kingsport Marketing and Public Relations Administrator Adrienne Batara said people were not listening to the guidelines at city parks, WJHL reported.

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Tennessee’s Gov. Bill Lee issued an executive order Monday telling people to stay home when possible and the closure of nonessential businesses.

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But Kingsport isn’t alone in the removal of basketball hoops, or the zip-tying of nets, to keep people healthy, USA Today reported.

It’s being called #Hoopocalypse on Twitter.

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