Updated: 12:53 PM, Thursday
By: Associated Press & Dave Collins, Eagle Radio Sports Director
Major League Baseball expected to cancel Spring Training, could delay start of season
NEW YORK (AP) — People familiar with the discussions tell The Associated Press that Major League Baseball is likely to cancel the rest of its spring training game schedule due to the coronavirus and probably will announce that the start of the season will be delayed. The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because no decision had been announced. They said baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred planned a conference call with his executive council to discuss the situation and then a call with controlling owners of the 30 clubs. An announcement would follow. The season had been scheduled to start March 26.
NBA season suspended until further notice
MIAMI (AP) — The NBA has suspended its season “until further notice" after a Utah Jazz player tested positive Wednesday for the coronavirus, a move that came only hours after the majority of the league's owners were leaning toward playing games without fans in arenas.
Now there will be no games at all, at least for the time being. A person with knowledge of the situation said the Jazz player who tested positive was center Rudy Gobert.
The league says it will use the hiatus to determine next steps for moving forward regarding the pandemic.
In a bizarre circumstance, the test result was reported shortly before the scheduled tip-off of the Jazz-Thunder game in Oklahoma City. Players were on the floor for warmups and the opening tip was moments away when they were sent to their locker rooms. Fans were told about 30 minutes later that the game was postponed “due to unforeseen circumstances."
Wednesday’s Pelicans-Kings game also was postponed right before tip-off with fans in the stands and ESPN promoting the game coming up on TV, due to the virus. The league says the game was postponed “out of an abundance of caution because one of the referees assigned to work in the game also worked a Utah Jazz game earlier this week.
NCAA March Madness Tournament - No Fans Allowed
The NBA became the first major American sports league to suspend play because of the coronavirus pandemic, raising questions about the future of college basketball's March Madness and other pro sports. It looked as if the NBA might be moving toward playing in empty arenas before it announced that a Utah Jazz player tested positive for the coronavirus and it had decided press pause on its season. NCAA President Mark Emmert announced earlier in the day that only essential staff and limited family will be allowed to attend the upcoming NCAA basketball tournaments.
UPDATE: College Basketball Conference Tournaments Canceled
Several college basketball conference tournaments have been canceled moments before tipoff, putting the NCAA Tournament at risk. The Big Ten, Big 12 and the SEC tournaments announced they were off, and other conferences were expected to follow suit. The men's NCAA Tournament is one of the most popular events on the American sports calendar. March Madness draws hundreds of thousands of fans to arenas from coast to coast.
Previous Article: Conference Tournaments Will Finish Out This Week - No Fans Allowed
Each of the Power Five basketball tournaments will proceed without fans beginning with Thursday's games. ACC games will be played only with teams, player guests, limited school administrators and credentialed media present. Big 12 squads will be allowed 125 tickets on a game-by-game basis beginning with Thursday's quarterfinals. Big Ten attendance will be limited to team personnel, conference staff, TV network partners, credentialed media and immediate family members of the participating teams. The SEC also says fans will be kept out of all regular-season events on its campuses and other league championships through at least March 30.
Ivy League cancels all spring sports seasons
The Ivy League has canceled all spring sports, as many of its schools told students not to return from spring break and prepare for classes to be taught online. The league already had canceled its men's and women's basketball tournaments.
MLB's Mariners moving March games out of Seattle
The Mariners are moving their first two series out of Seattle in an effort to slow the coronavirus outbreak. The Mariners and Major League Baseball have not announced where they will play the team's season-opening, four-game series against the Texas Rangers scheduled for March 26-29.
Chadron State softball games will be played - No Fans Allowed
Chadron State will play a softball series Saturday and Sunday in Denver against MSU-Denver. The school says fans will not be allowed to attend those games. Colorado School of Mines is taking a similar measure for its home athletic events in Golden immediately as well.
From the Chadron State Athletics website on a change in attendance policy for the Division II National Championship wrestling event, which three Eagles have qualified for:
In an update late Wednesday, NCAA staff clarified that at its Division II Wrestling Championships in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, public admission would be modified as follows:
- Each participating student-athlete and coach, within the travel party limit, will receive six all-session wristbands for admission.
- These wristbands will be provided complimentary.
- We will distribute these wristbands at the coaches meeting tomorrow for you to distribute appropriately.
- No spectator/fan tickets will be sold. Any purchased tickets will be refunded. Customers with questions on the refund process should contact their original point of purchase.
Major League Soccer canceling games for 30 days
Major League Soccer is shutting down for 30 days because of the coronavirus, delaying the home opener for the expansion team co-owned by former England captain David Beckham. MLS Commissioner says the decision was based on advice and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Public Health Agency of Canada and other public health authorities. Beckham and Jorge Mas co-own Inter Miami, which had been scheduled to play its home opener Saturday. MLS started its season on Feb. 29 and each of the 26 teams has played two league matches.