NBA, WNBA Partnering with Fanatics to Make Team-Branded Facemasks Amid COVID-19

The NBA and WNBA established a partnership with merchandise company Fanatics to create team-branded facemasks amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Ben Pickman of Sports Illustrated reported Friday the leagues' proceeds from the masks will be donated to Feeding America in the United States and Second Harvest in Canada.

Kathy Behrens, the NBA's president of social responsibility and player programs, confirmed the partnership later Friday.

"As a global community, we can all play a role in reducing the impact of the coronavirus pandemic by following the CDC's recommendation to cover our nose and mouth while in public," she said. "Through this new product offering, NBA and WNBA fans can adhere to these guidelines while joining in the league's efforts to aid those who have been directly affected by COVID-19."

Designs featuring all 30 NBA and 12 WNBA teams will be made available along with the league logos. They can be purchased through manufactures FOCO ($24.99 for three) or Industry Rag ($14.99 for one), according to the NBA release.

Along with the CDC's recommendation of wearing a face covering to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, New York governor Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday it will become mandatory to do so in his state for those unable to follow social-distancing guidelines because of essential work or other factors.

"You see the flattening of the curve," Cuomo told reporters. "We're not out of the woods ... but we can control the spread."

NBA teams, players and executives were already among the large group of people from the sports world who have donated money or set up programs to help those in need because of the pandemic.

The 2019-20 NBA season is suspended indefinitely because of COVID-19. The WNBA has postponed training camps and the start of its 2020 campaign, though its draft will proceed as scheduled Friday night in a virtual format.

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Bleacher Report's David Gardner interviews athletes and other sports figures for the podcast How to Survive Without Sports. In this episode, MLB outfielder Dexter Fowler.