Sport Report: MLBPA leaders likely to vote against MLB 60-game proposal

JUNE 19It appears technology will be aiding the NBA during its resumption. The league plans to give players the option to wear the Oura "smart ring." The device features sensors that keep track of the wearer's health stats, including heart and respiration rates and body temperature. Then, the data the Oura collected is put into an algorithm to predict the onset of COVID-19. Read more here.JUNE 18Dwight Howard released a public statement explaining his position on the NBA resuming its season in Orlando, saying that he and others who have expressed concerns "are not attempting to halt the resumption of the basketball season in Orlando." Instead, Howard and others who have spoken up are hoping to use this opportunity to place the focus on the nationwide protests caused by the death of George Floyd. Read more here.The mayor of Orange County, Florida, has announced that masks will be mandatory indefinitely after a spike in coronavirus cases throughout the state. NBA teams will journey to Orlando on or around July 7. Read more here.JUNE 16Players must inform the NBA by June 24 if they don’t plan on taking part in the remainder of the season, reports The Athletic's Shams Charania. Read more here.Nuggets head coach Mike Malone revealed that he tested positive and recovered from COVID-19. Malone noted that he fell ill in March. He was unable to obtain a test given that they were not as widespread as they are right now, but he took an antibody test last month, which revealed the head coach did in fact have coronavirus. Read more here.Charania reported the hotels where each team will stay — based on seeding. For example, the Bucks, Lakers, Raptors, Clippers, Celtics, Nuggets, Jazz and Heat will stay at Gran Destino Tower, which is is located in Disney’s Coronado Resort. Check out where the rest of the teams will be staying here.Now that the NBA settled on safety protocols and where the teams will stay, surely one of the biggest concerns will be to get everyone to adhere to the rules. Charania reported the NBA will have a hotline that will allow players to anonymously report anyone who is violating protocols. Read more here.JUNE 15According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, there is no indication from players, agents or league officials that concerns over safety or social issues are putting the NBA’s return in jeopardy. While some players around the league are not expected to participate, either due to concerns for their health or to support those protesting, there is no indication it will be enough to compromise the return plan. Read more here.JUNE 14ESPN's Tim Bontemps provided some insight for the NBA's testing protocols before going to Orlando. All players and "essential team personnel" will be tested every other day starting June 23, and they will also undergo an antibody test. It's not yet known which coronavirus test the league will be using, but it's thought to be the less invasive test than the one that's been most common. Read more here.JUNE 13Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press and Shams Charania of The Athletic reported Disney's safety protocols for staffers. Guidelines include: All Disney personnel onsite will be required to wear masks and gloves while undergoing daily temperature screenings, and staff will adhere to social distancing guidelines and not allowed within 6 feet of an NBA participant. Read more here.Regarding the NBA's safety guidelines, Dr. Fauci was complimentary and supportive of the league's protocols. The country's top infectious disease expert even went as far as to say other leagues could look to the NBA and emulate certain aspects. Read more here.We already know fans won't be able to attend games once the season resumes in July. However, the NBPA expects crowdless games for the entirety of the 2020-21 campaign as well. That would mean the NBA would lose billions of dollars in ticket revenue over an 82-game season and the playoffs and another potential hit to the salary cap. Read more here.NBPA executive director Michele Roberts has an ominous prediction: "A player is going to test positive. It's not any more of this 'if,' it's 'when' and what can I do to mitigate against the 'when.'" Being realistic is better than blinding optimism. If the NBA operates on "when" rather than "if," the league can be better prepared to deal with it. Read more here.JUNE 12According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, detailed plans for the season are now etched in stone. Working with a small window, the NBA has set the following dates for the resumption of the season, with seeding games running July 30-Aug. 14, the play-in tournament taking place Aug. 15-Aug. 16 and the playoffs beginning Aug. 17. Read more here.However, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported that there is a significant number of NBA players who are upset a vote was not held to allow players to decide whether they wanted to finish the season. Some players were already uneasy about resuming play amid the coronavirus outbreak, and now there is a feeling among a portion of the NBA community that it is “bad optics” to play with protests raging across the country in response to the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Furthermore, some frustration seems to be starting to set in among players about these rules and regulations. New Orleans Pelicans guard JJ Redick seemed particularly confused by a report that Disney support staff would not be subject to the restrictions of the bubble, even though players and league staff will be. That confusion and frustration seemed to be echoed by some of his fellow players. Bleacher Report's Taylor Rooks and Howard Beck also reported that some players feel they weren't properly represented regarding a vote over the 22-team model and temporarily relocating to Florida, away from their families, during a coronavirus outbreak and racial tensions throughout the world. Between 150 and 200 NBA players held a conference call on Friday to discuss the next and best course of action, led by Kyrie Irving, who is of the position that players should consider not playing in light of the uproar over racial injustice and the unknowns of COVID-19, sources said. Read more here.Kyrie Irving, Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony and Donovan Mitchell were among the stars who participated in the conference call. Kyrie reportedly said he's "willing to give up everything" he has for social reform and was the leading voice against resuming the season in Orlando. Read more here.JUNE 11NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported the league is considering allowing teams to replace players who don't show up with "substitution" players. "Players deciding against participating in Orlando could be replaced by a substitution player," Wojnarowski tweeted. "NBA plans to allow replacements for players who test positive for COVID-19 or suffer injuries. Replaced players become ineligible for the rest of 2019-2020 season." Read more here.Woj also relayed that the NBA has slightly adjusted its target date for the first games of the resumed 2019-20 season, moving it up to July 30. The league had previously been targeting July 31. Read more here.Shams Charania of The Athletic reported the league will allow teams to carry 17 players in Orlando, which includes two-way players. Additionally, players who are currently unsigned and available may sign with teams. Read more here.ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Bobby Marks reported 14 of 22 teams will be eliminated within 53 days after players arrive in Orlando. It's expected that six teams will be bounced from the competition within 40 days at the most. Additionally, just four teams will be left after 67 days. Read more here.Wojnarowski reported there is a "growing number of players" who are considering sitting out the NBA's resumption, particularly among players on teams that don't have much of a chance to win the title. They simply do not want to live in a bubble for that long and want to see "quarantine elements" loosened. Woj also notes the Black Lives Matter movement might be "playing a role in the conversation." Count Carmelo Anthony among the players who are hesitant to play in Orlando. Read more here.JUNE 10Longtime TNT announcer Kevin Harlan shared some details about how the network will handle the unprecedented challenge of televising games that will be held in a bubble format in which broadcasters initially will not be allowed to be on site for contests: “We will be in the studios in Atlanta, and they will set up as close to possible a broadcast table like we would have courtside,” Harlan said this week on SiriusXM NBA Radio, according to Richard Deitsch of The Athletic. “We will have, I’m assuming, crowd noise pumped into our headsets.” Read more here.In a follow-up, Yahoo's Keith Smith reports that broadcasters probably won't be able to call games from Walt Disney World. If they're allowed to, it'll be very few, he adds. Read more here.As the season's resumption approaches, Woj reported there is a "faction" of NBA players who aren't fully onboard with continuing play. They question whether it's a "good idea or not out of concern for their health and safety. As such, the league will not be penalizing players who choose not to participate. However, Woj says "players would lose a portion of salary for those games missed." Read more here.JUNE 9Hawks GM Travis Schlenk provided some insight on the 2020-21 NBA season, saying next year's campaign could be condensed due to this year's halt. Schlenk said that could include "more back-to-backs and sets of four games in five nights for teams next season." Read more here. JUNE 8League insider Adrian Wojnarowski says that there is expected to be a period that would allow teams to sign potential free agents to their rosters. With this latest update, it sounds like the league will allow teams to sign players and that "there are expected to be no limitations on the number of players a team could sign to replace those lost." Read more here.Further, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported: "The NBA and NBPA have agreed to conduct performance-enhancing drug testing during resumed 2019-20 season in Orlando — but tests for recreational drugs will remain suspended." Players will also be tested frequently for COVID-19, but will not be forced to remain in the “bubble” that the NBA has set up at Walt Disney World. Read more here.Charania also reported the tentative dates for the playoffs and Finals: The play-in tournament will be held Aug. 16-17 with the first round of the playoffs set to begin on Aug. 18. The second round of the playoffs will start on Sept. 1, with the conference finals to begin on Sept. 15. Game 1 of the NBA Finals would begin Sept. 30 and run no later than Oct. 12. Read more here. JUNE 7ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Bobby Marks reported the league is developing a system for how to replace injured or sick players, specifically players who may come down with the coronavirus. The NBA is not expected to limit how many replacement players a team can sign once the season resumes. Read more here.JUNE 5On June 5, Charania reported the NBPA voted to approve the league's return plan, as expected. As such, the league will be resuming play on July 31 in Orlando with 22 teams. Read more here.Furthermore, Wojnarowski provided details on safety protocols the league will be installing. For one thing, players' families will be allowed in the Orlando bubble, but they will arrive after the first round of the postseason and just three at a time. Additionally, neither players nor their family members will be allowed to go to Disney World parks. Marc Stein of The New York Times added players' family members will have to quarantine for one week after arriving in the bubble. Read more here.JUNE 4ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the NBA has set an Aug. 25 Draft Lottery date and Oct. 15 NBA Draft date, according to sources. Read more here.In addition, the NBA’s Board of Governors approved the league’s proposal to resume the 2019-20 NBA season under a 22-team format this summer, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. While there were likely other teams that disagreed with the 22-team format, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports the Blazers were the only organization to do so openly. In addition to the top eight teams in each conference, an additional six teams will join them in Orlando. The New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, Phoenix Suns and Washington Wizards will all play eight games to help determine playoff seeding. Read more here.As far as safety is concerned, ESPN's Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst reported the league does not intend to shut down if a player or staffer were to test positive for the virus. However, more questions remain, as the league does not currently have a plan in place if an outbreak were to occur on a team. Read more here.Further, the NBA also informed the Board of Governors that it’s targeting Oct. 18 for the start of free agency, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic. As Charania details, the NBA is tentatively targeting Nov. 10 for the opening of 2020-21 training camps and Dec. 1 for next season’s opening night. Read more here.Although the NBA season will resume, the same can't be said for the G League, which announced it will cancel the remainder of the campaign. Read more here.JUNE 1ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe reported that small-market NBA teams are concerned that not playing any games until next season would have a major impact on their ability to develop players, land sponsorship deals and sell tickets. During NBA commissioner Adam Silver’s conference call with the Board of Governors on Friday, Oklahoma City Thunder owner Clay Bennett delivered an emotional speech about the league needing to find ways to help smaller-market teams that may be left out of the resumption and thus go nine months — March to December — without any competitive games. Read more here.MAY 27NBA Hall of Fame chairman Jerry Colangelo confirmed the 2020 induction ceremony will be postponed to 2021. The hope is that the ceremony will take place at some point in the spring. The 2020 class includes Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan. Read more here.Additionally, this long hiatus will also have a profound effect on the league's offseason. We already know the draft will be postponed — and hopefully take place in September — but free agency could also see changes. Along with a lowered salary cap, teams may also have work with a free-agency period that begins before the draft. Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported the league is considering starting free agency before the postponed draft. It will change teams' strategies and dynamics if they have their rosters set before the draft even begins. Read more here.

JUNE 19According to NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Jim Salisbury, five Phillies’ players tested positive for the coronavirus in recent days. Furthermore, three of the team’s staff members also contracted the virus. While eight members of the organization have tested positive for COVID-19, the numbers could be even higher. According to NBC Sports, the team is still awaiting a significant number of test results and there is some concern this could be an even larger outbreak. Read more here.The Toronto Blue Jays on Friday became the second MLB team to shut down their facility due to COVID-19 concerns. Soon after the Phillies confirmed five players and three staff members located in Clearwater, Fla., had tested positive for the coronavirus, ESPN's Jeff Passan tweeted that at least one Toronto player "who recently had spent time with players in the Phillies’ minor-league system" was showing symptoms of the virus. Read more here.The Giants have also closed their spring facility in Arizona after someone who visited the complex started showing symptoms. Read more here.Two unnamed Angels players have contracted COVID-19, GM Billy Epply tells Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. Eppler didn't divulge any other details regarding the players' identities. Read more here.MLB is reconsidering the notion of bubble sites where players and other team personnel would perform and live during a pandemic-shortened season, according to Jared Diamond and Ben Cohen of the Wall Street Journal. Several teams shutting down their facilities in one day is concerning. Read more here.In the wake of teams closing their facilities, MLB is considering closing all spring camps temporarily. The facilities would get cleaned, and new safety guidelines would be instituted upon re-entry. Read more here.As the MLB and MLB Players Association struggle to come to an agreement to start the season, rumors have spread that superstar agent Scott Boras is pulling strings and manipulating people from both sides for his benefit. Yankees  president Randy Levine called out Boras directly, saying he shouldn't be meddling. Boras denied the idea of stirring up ill will between the MLB and MLBPA, telling The Post he is only working in the best interest of his players. Read more here.The MLBPA released a statement saying MLB informed the union that the league will not be making a counter-offer to its last proposal, which was for a 70-game season. It seems the parties are closer to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred naming the length of a season that could last around 48-54 games. Read more here.Owners might be willing to go as high as a 62-game season, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. Owners and players continue to look bad each passing day. They are making headlines for all the wrong reasons. A 62-game season isn't what the players want, but at some point, one of the sides will have to give in. Read more here.JUNE 18The Major League Baseball Players Association has countered an offer made by MLB owners and increased the number of requested regular-season games amid the coronavirus pandemic from 60 to 70. ESPN's Jeff Passan reported that the players would want more games to make up for salaries lost due to the shortened season. Passan adds he believes owners will reject this offer. Read more here.According to a report from Joel Sherman of the New York Post, it sounds like there’s a continuing rift between Major League Baseball and its players, as the owners do not see a pathway to start the 2020 campaign. Read more here.Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times noted that the MLBPA's latest offer has angered owners. In fact, a source on the owners' side told Shaikin the offer sent talks "backwards." Meanwhile, the MLBPA has also clarified there is no "tentative agreement or other agreement" between the players and owners heading into Friday — despite earlier reports to the contrary. Read more here.The league doesn't feel the union's offer of 70 games is feasible. Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported Rob Manfred told MLBPA head Tony Clark that number is "simply impossible" due to a possible second wave of the coronavirus. Read more here.JUNE 17Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported that MLB commissioner Rob Manfred and MLB Players Association executive director Tony Clark had a face-to-face meeting in Arizona that has been described as “productive.” While there is likely a long way to go, any meeting between MLB and the MLBPA that is described as “productive” is a positive sign. Reports of an imminent deal between the two sides surfaced as well, though that news was refuted by the MLBPA. Read more here.While there is no deal in place as of yet, MLB did make a proposal for a 60-game season with full prorated salaries and expanded playoffs, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. MLB is also asking the MLBPA not to file any grievances against the league. A counteroffer is likely, but it may only tack on a few games to the proposed schedule. Read more here.Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported the owners and MLBPA can announce an Opening Day of July 19 if they can agree to terms for the start of the 2020 season by the end of Friday. However, the season's length is still an issue between the two sides. Read more here.Under the latest proposed format, Action Network's Darren Rovell reports that nine players will forfeit more than $20 million in expected salary under this season. For example, Mike Trout is set to lose $23.7 million, Gerrit Cole would lose $22.7 million and Max Scherzer $22.6 million. Read more here.JUNE 16Several MLB players and team staff have reportedly tested positive for COVID-19, adding another complication to the league's messy attempt to start its season, according to a letter from MLB's Deputy Commissioner Dan Halem to Players Association attorney Bruce Meyer. Read more here.After Rob Manfred's remarks on his lack of confidence in the 2020 season happening, Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich of The Athletic reported that at least eight MLB owners do not want the season to start. If eight or more owners are against the season starting, they may be able to keep baseball out of 2020 entirely, which would be a disaster for the league. Read more here.However, according to SportsNet New York’s Andy Martino, Manfred is still interested in making a deal with the players for the 2020 season. While discussions have stalled, with the MLBPA cutting off negotiations and asking Manfred when they can show up and play, some players still think both sides will come back to the table. Read more here.Many players let their voices be heard, making it clear they want to play. Los Angeles Angels three-time Most Valuable Player Mike Trout, Philadelphia Phillies superstar Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer, New York Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole and several others all have a unified message for Manfred and owners: Tell us when and where. Read more here.Dr. Fauci told Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times that playing baseball until late October is a bad idea. In fact, he "would avoid" that scenario all together, reasoning that "viruses do better when the weather starts to get colder and people start spending more time inside, as opposed to outside." Read more here.JUNE 15MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said on ESPN’s “The Return of Sports” special Monday that he is “not confident” there will be an MLB season this year.Manfred also called the labor negotiations between MLB and the players union during a time of economic uncertainty a “disaster” for the image of the league. Read more here.According to Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times, MLB sent a letter to players threatening to cancel the season unless they "waived any legal claims against the league," which could mean grievances relating to health, wages, or the length of the season. Read more here. Teams will be able to scout amateur events again, according to ESPN's Kiley McDaniel, and will be allowed to send a maximum of three scouts per event. Read more here.JUNE 14The onus is now on Rob Manfred to decide on terms for the 2020 season. MLB Network's Jon Heyman reported Manfred is expected to mandate a season that is at least 50 games. The league has been advocating for as few as 48 games in negotiations, but players want more than that. Players still have the ability to sit out. Read more here.JUNE 13The MLBPA turned down the owners' latest proposal, and no counteroffer is coming, per ESPN.com’s Jeff Passan. MLBPA executive director Tony Clark's statement was definitive: "Further dialogue with the league would be futile. It’s time to get back to work. Tell us when and where." Rob Manfred can now decide the length of the 2020 regular season. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports the MLBPA wants to see league's plans for beginning the season by Monday. If MLB's plans come quickly, play could start by roughly mid-July. Read more here.An unnamed MLB pitching coach and a player on a 40-man roster have both tested positive for COVID-19, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Sherman writes the player contracted the coronavirus relatively recently, but the pitching coach is recovered after contracting the virus “weeks ago.” Read more here.JUNE 12MLB has submitted a new proposal to the players. The highlights include: 72-game season, 70 percent of prorated salaries (80 percent if there's a postseason) and an opt-out clause. Under the proposal, the season would run from July 14 to Sept. 27, and the players have until June 14 to agree. However, Bob Nightengale of USA Today says the players are expected to reject it before the deadline. Read more here.JUNE 11According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, one owner has already heard from several of his team’s players that they will sit out if Manfred imposes a shortened season. Even knowing they would forfeit their salaries and lose a year of service time, which counts toward becoming a free agent, players are still willing not to take the field. Read more here.JUNE 10USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported that multiple executives expect Manfred to implement a shortened season without the MLBPA’s approval if a deal can’t be reached, and that the decision could be made within a week. Read more here.Later in the day, MLB Network insider Jon Heyman tweeted he understands the two sides aren't close to putting pen to paper on a deal. One ownership source told Heyman: "We're nowhere." The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich also heard from an ownership source on Tuesday who told them the recent proposal from the players was "a waste of time." Read more here.That said, commissioner Rob Manfred said there will "100 percent" be baseball in 2020, with the season ending by November. Manfred could enforce an agreement between the players and owners that lets him dictate the season's length and provide players with prorated salaries. Read more here.JUNE 9As loss of revenue continues to be an issue, Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich of The Athletic reported MLB is considering expanding the playoff field, with six additional teams and perhaps a "best-of-three opening round." Read more here.Later that day, ESPN's Jeff Passan reported the MLBPA submitted a new proposal to owners, which included an offer for 89 games, prorated salaries and an expanded postseason. Passan noted the 89 games offer is 25 fewer than the union's previous offer, but the league is still expected to reject the offer. Read more here.Because the situation has become dire, commission Rob Manfred may have no choice but to push the red button and implement a 50-game season, as three league execs told USA Today Sports. Since MLB's most recent offer allows players to opt out of playing during the pandemic, we may see some of the league's biggest stars skip this season, not wanting to risk their lives for so little money, comparatively speaking. Read more here.JUNE 8MLB reportedly sent a proposal for a 76-game season that would, according to ESPN’s Karl Ravech, give players 75 percent of their prorated salary for the 2020 season. Read more here.The league asked for 2020 postseason fields to expand even beyond the previously discussed 14 teams, adding another team per league and bringing the total to 16 playoff clubs as well. Read more here.MLB understands that some players will test positive for the coronavirus upon their return and during the season, which could also put their family members and teammates at risk. As a result, per USA Today‘s Bob Nightengale, MLB required players to sign a risk waiver in the latest proposal. The MLB Players Association already rejected Monday’s offer, viewing it as another attempt by MLB to put even more of the risk from resuming the season on the players. Read more here.As the league and MLBPA continue to squabble over the length of the 2020 season, ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel reports that whatever length is determined could well impact the state of the 2021 draft. Essentially, the commissioner could modify the draft order if the teams play fewer than 81 regular-season games. With a short enough season, even a poor couple of weeks could be enough to make a club set its sights on the 2021 season, which could impact the 2020 season in a variety of ways. Read more here.JUNE 7William Davis of the New York Daily News provided an update on how the league would test players if or when the season resumes. While the NBA and NHL are planning to test players daily, MLB is not. That's according to Milwaukee Health Department commissioner Dr. Jeanette Kowalik, who told Davis MLB's plan concerns her, as a player could test negative one day but become positive the next. Read more here.JUNE 6Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported hope for a July 4 resumption is "all but gone." An August start is looking increasingly likely — if there's a season at all. Rosenthal noted how toxic the situation between the league and union has become. Read more here.JUNE 5ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that MLB is looking for a 48-game season with prorated salaries for players, while the MLBPA is seeking the same deal over 82 games. An 82-game season would allow players to collect slightly more than half of their regular salaries. Sources told Passan that MLB has not come out and proposed a 48-game schedule yet, but discussions among owners have focused on that number. Read more here.The Star-Ledger's Bob Klapisch reported that pessimism is growing around negotiations to start the season, saying it will "take a miracle to save" the campaign. With both the owners and players unwilling to budge, things aren't looking promising. Read more here.JUNE 4Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported on Thursday that he has been hearing “great confidence” that there will be an MLB season in 2020 even after the owners rejected the latest proposal from the players this week without a counter-offer. Part of that confidence stems from the fact that MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has the power to launch the start of the season even without an agreement between the league and the MLBPA. Read more here.In addition, the players have rejected the latest proposal from the owners. The MLBPA issued a scathing statement, saying that players will not be making anymore concessions to the owners. Read more here.Furthermore, players and owners are at odds over when the season should end. MLB Network's Jon Heyman reported that owners are "steadfast" in ending the season by Nov. 1 to avoid a second wave. However, players don't understand that point since other sports like football and basketball would (hopefully) be playing in the fall. There's no question that football and basketball have players in closer proximity than baseball. Read more here.JUNE 3After Major League Baseball turned down the MLBPA’s counterproposal for a 114-game season, the two sides were left back at square one in terms of negotiating. That has led to a significant decrease in optimism, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, who has heard from individuals on both sides who are increasingly doubtful that a deal will be completed. Read more here.JUNE 2Karen Kasler of Ohio's Statehouse News Bureau tweeted that 1,146 Progressive Field employees have been impacted by "a notice of indefinite layoff." Kasler was unable to immediately answer what that could mean for the state of big-league baseball as of early June. Read more here.During a radio interview with the “Burns and Gambo Show,” Arizona Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick said the league would not approve a plan that involves baseball being played in November. Read more here.JUNE 1The Washington Nationals backed away from a plan to cut minor leaguers’ weekly stipend after the team’s MLB roster publicly called out the decision. Nationals ownership originally intended to drop the weekly pay for minor leaguers from $400 to $300. It’s worth noting that, while the full stipend has been restored, Nationals minor leaguers have still not received any assurances that they will be paid beyond the end of June. Read more here.MLB owners relayed they are willing to grant a major concession to players in negotiations about playing the season — but there’s a major caveat. MLB intends to propose a shorter season in which it would pay players a full prorated share of their salaries, sources told ESPN. Read more here.MAY 31The finances are such a concern that ESPN's Buster Olney reported there is a contingent of team owners who are "perfectly willing" to scrap the entire season to cut their monetary losses that would happen during a shortened season played without fans in attendance. There's no question negotiations have gone poorly thus far, but this would be an extreme outcome — as well as a bad look for the league and players during a time when many Americans are having difficulty surviving on far less money than what MLB players and personnel make. Read more here.Nationals reliever Sean Doolittle announced that he and his teammates are contributing to a fund to pay minor leaguers in the Washington organization. Read more here.MAY 29The MLBPA has demanded financial details from the league. The owners are justifying the players' substantial pay cuts by saying that the organizations are incurring a massive financial hit due to the shortened season and crowdless games. The union likely wants to make sure the owners' assessment is accurate. Read more here.MAY 27MLB Network's Jon Heyman reported that players are upset with the league's economic offer. Some players reportedly referred to the offer as "disrespectful," and they may not even submit a counter proposal. Read more here. This situation led to Marcus Stroman saying the 2020 is "not looking promising."MAY 26Team owners proposed a sliding scale regarding salary reductions. The league’s highest-paid players would take the biggest hit. A player making $35 million would get 44.3 percent of prorated pay. On the other end of the spectrum, a player making $563,500 would get 91.9 percent. Read more here.MAY 21Baseball America’s J.J. Cooper reported the 2020 MiLB season will be scrapped entirely. Read more here.

JUNE 19According to a report published by the Canadian Press, Marco Mendicino, the minister of immigration, issued a statement indicating that it was in the country’s best interest to have a hub city when play resumes. Toronto, Vancouver and Edmonton have all approved the NHL’s proposed "Return to Play" protocols. Mendicino highlighted that NHL’s plan to keep players separate from the public as the main reason to lift the 14-day mandatory quarantine for individuals coming into Canada. Read more here.TSN's Bob McKenzie reported that the Tampa Bay Lightning had to close their facility due to multiple positive coronavirus tests. McKenzie added he heard three players and two staff members from the Lightning have tested positive, and that the team is awaiting additional results. It's expected that the team facility will reopen if everyone else produces negative tests. Read more here.Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews has tested positive for COVID-19, according to Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun. Simmons adds that Matthews is is quarantining and self-isolating at his Arizona residence. Read more here.The NHL has released a statement saying 11 players have tested positive for the coronavirus since Phase 2 began on June 8. Over 200 NHL players have been tested for the virus in that span. The league also notes that it will release weekly updates on how many players will be tested and the number of positive results. Read more here.JUNE 17A company called BAUER Hockey has designed a new face shield to keep players safe in their return to action. The company writes that its mask has an "additional splash protection around the mouth while maintaining a high level of vision and breathability." It's possible the NHL might require players to wear these masks, which will be available in August. Read more here.JUNE 16Commissioner Gary Bettman went on ESPN and shared that if a player tests positive for COVID-19, that player will be isolated but the league won't come to a halt. Read more here.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that he would open Canadian cities to NHL despite the country's current travel ban. "Canada is open to it as long as it is OK'd by the local health authorities," Trudeau said. Edmonton, Toronto and Vancouver are three potential temporary hub cities that will house groups of players and other personnel Read more here.JUNE 13Las Vegas appears to be one of the locations chosen as one of the league's hub cities. The NHL has asked Vegas for a non-gaming, non-smoking hotel to house its teams, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Other hub cities in the running include Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Pittsburgh. Edmonton, Toronto and Vancouver are being considered as Canadian hub cities. Read more here.JUNE 12The Bruins announced that a player, who will remain unnamed, tested positive for the coronavirus and underwent two subsequent tests, which both came back negative. The player remains asymptomatic. Read more here.John Katsilometes of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported the NHL plans to announce the two hub cities for the Stanley Cup Playoffs on June 22. Katsilometes adds that MGM Resorts is operating like Las Vegas will be hosting games. This supports speculation that Vegas and L.A. are the favorites to be selected, with the Eastern Conference playing in Vegas and the Western Conference in L.A. Read more here.JUNE 11The league announced that training camps will begin on Friday, July 10, after reaching an agreement with the NHLPA. Recently teams were allowed to open their practice facilities, although not all of them have yet taken advantage of that. Some are in the process of getting their rinks compliant with new safety protocols, while others have encouraged their players to remain where they are outside of the club city as long as they’re able to skate and work out. Read more here.JUNE 10Many players returned to the ice in limited capacity as the league moved in to Phase 2 of its return-to-play plan. A maximum of six players can skate at once with no coaches or team personnel allowed. Players also must wear face coverings when they aren't exercising or on the ice. Participation in these practices is voluntary, and many players have decided to continue isolating in their self-quarantine locations instead of returning to the team's city. Read more here.JUNE 8We got a better idea of the league's playing timeline. The Montreal Gazette's Stu Cowan wrote the league is "hoping" to begin training camp in mid-July at two hub cities, but a more realistic start date may be in August. This would see the postseason start in September and run through November. Read more here.JUNE 4The NHL released more information about its 2020 playoffs. There will be four rounds that follow the qualification round, and they will be best-of-seven. The qualification round, played between seeds five through 12, will still be best-of-five series. The playoffs will be reseeded after each round instead of using a bracket format. That will allow the top four teams in each conference to retain their advantages, though it also puts more importance on the round-robin they will play to determine final seeding. Those teams will play three games each, with the winner of the round-robin receiving the top seed. Ties will be resolved by regular-season points percentage. Read more here.The Pittsburgh Penguins confirmed via an official club statement that one player has tested positive for COVID-19. As has been the case with teams around the world, the team didn't identify the player. Read more here.MAY 31NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly gave us some insight on the safety protocols the league plans to install. Daly said there will be "rigorous daily testing" every night, with the results coming back before anyone has the opportunity to leave the hotel the next morning. If the NHL needs 25,000-35,000 tests at $125 a pop, this will be a costly endeavor for the league but a worthwhile one. Read more here.MAY 28We got a little bit of clarity regarding the league's return. Training camps will start on July 10 at the earliest and are expected to last three weeks, putting the resumption of the season around Aug. 1. Read more here.MAY 27Daly said the league would like to have a hub city in Canada to ensure that "Canadian clubs are well-represented" once play resumes. However, this idea does not come with difficulties. The Canadian government requires anyone entering the country to undergo a two-week isolation period. Read more here.Bettman stated that the league hasn't eliminated the possibility for teams to play postseason games at their home arenas. Of course, this plan is contingent on coronavirus cases drastically improving in the coming months. Read more here. Bettman announced details for roster breakdowns. Teams will be allowed to carry 28 players and unlimited goaltenders on their rosters, but organizations are limited to 50 personnel in the hub cities. Barring setbacks, training camp won't start until early July. Read more here.MAY 26On May 26, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced a return-to-play plan. The league will forgo the remaining regular-season games and jump right into the postseason. The top 12 teams from both conferences (as determined by points percentages) will proceed, with the top four seeds from each conference participating in a round-robin tournament to determine seeding. The other teams will play in a best-of-five series to determine seeding. Each conference will play in its own “hub city.” Those cities have yet to be determined, but the league has narrowed it down to 10 potential locations, including Vegas, Chicago, Dallas and L.A. An exact date hasn’t been set to resume play, but the NHL is aiming to reopen facilities in early June and have small group workouts. Read more here.

JUNE 19Roughly 48 hours after the PGA Tour boasted about recording zero positive results among 954 on-site coronavirus tests over the past two weeks, one player has reportedly tested positive for COVID-19. Rival's Nathan Hubbard tweeted the news on Friday and added that the Tour hasn't yet confirmed. Read more here.JUNE 18Despite a mandatory two-week quarantine following international travel to the U.S., Rory McIlroy says that anyone who is serious about golfing should be willing to deal with it. McIlroy has been staying in his home in Florida, so travel to the U.S. hasn't been an issue for him. "We all have the means to rent a very nice house ... and it's not a hardship for two weeks to come over and quarantine," he said, per ESPN. Read more here.JUNE 17The PGA Tour has recorded its second straight week of no positive COVID-19 tests among players, caddies and other personnel. The Tour administered 954 on-site tests, and they all have come back negative. Read more here.JUNE 15Ron Kroichick of the San Francisco Chronicle reported that the PGA Championship that was moved from May to Aug. 6-9 because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic won't allow spectators at San Francisco's Harding Park. Read more here.JUNE 10Brian Wacker of Golf Digest wrote that “multiple caddies/players” have told him “they’re not listening to any of the tour’s protocols and will eat out, stay wherever they want, etc.” This comes after the PGA released a memo outlining safety protocols for players, caddies, their families and everyone involved in the tournaments in May. Read more here.JUNE 7Rob Oller of the Columbus Dispatch provided some insight on how many fans will be allowed to attend the Memorial Tournament. Fans will be capped at 8,000 — which is 20 percent capacity. Read more here.JUNE 5Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine told reporters spectators would be allowed at the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club. This will be the first sporting event in the state to allow spectators since the pandemic began. The tournament takes place on July 13-19. Read more here. JUNE 4U.S. Ryder Cup captain Steve Stricker commented on the prospect of playing golf without a crowd in attendance. Stricker said such a scenario would produce "a yawner of an event." Read more here.JUNE 3The fate of the Ryder Cup will be decided later this month, chief executive officer Keith Pelley told the McKellar Journal podcast. The Ryder Cup is still scheduled to be played from Sept. 25-27 at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin despite the schedule disruption from the coronavirus pandemic, but that could change. Read more here.JUNE 2On June 2, ESPN's Bob Harig wrote that Jack Nicklaus' Muirfield Village Golf Club, located outside of Columbus, Ohio, will host a tournament in place of the Classic July 9-12. A full field of 156 players will be invited to participate in the event. Spectators will not be welcomed. Read more here.MAY 28ESPN's Bob Harig confirmed that the PGA has canceled the 2020 John Deere Classic that was scheduled for July 9-12 at TPC Deere Run in Illinois. The Tour is looking to return to action on June 11 with the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas. Read more here.MAY 24Americans got a taste of live golf, but it was in the form of a charity match. Peyton Manning and Tiger Woods took on Tom Brady and Phil Mickelson, with the former pairing coming out on top to raise millions of dollars for charity. Read more here.MAY 21A day later, Australian golfer Adam Scott announced he wouldn’t be playing in PGA Tour events until July, citing concerns over adequate testing. "They are being fairly thorough, but my initial reaction was I was surprised it wasn't tighter than it is," Scott said in an interview with AAP." Read more here.MAY 20English golfer Lee Westwood said that he would not be participating in PGA Tour events due to the two-week quarantines that are mandated after international travel. "It's six weeks for two tournaments, and to me that's just not worth it," Westwood said. Read more here.MAY 18Going forward, the USGA announced qualifiers for the U.S. Open, scheduled in the U.S., Canada, Japan and England, would be canceled, citing traveling as well as testing rules as the main hang-ups. The U.S. Open was to take place on June 18-21 but it is now tentatively scheduled for Sept. 17-20, assuming a second wave doesn’t make that impossible. It has not yet been determined if fans will be allowed to attend. Read more here.MAY 17The TaylorMade Driving Relief gave us live on-course golf for the first time in more than two months, albeit without spectators. Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson went against Rickie Fowler and Matthew Wolff and raised money for charity. Read more here.

JUNE 9NASCAR announced fans will be allowed to attend races on a limited basis starting on Sunday, June 14. There will be 1,000 military members invited to attend Sunday's Dixie Vodka 400 in Miami, while 5,000 fans can sit in the grandstand at the GEICO 500 at Talladega on June 21. NASCAR will implement numerous safety guidelines at the first sporting events with fans in attendance since the pandemic began. Read more here.JUNE 1Sports Business Journal's Adam Stern reported NASCAR executives recently had discussions about allowing fans to return to the stands as early as some time in June. Stern cites Homestead-Miami Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway as tracks that could be among the first to welcome fans (in a limited capacity) back to the stands. Read more here.MAY 17NASCAR returned with the Real Heroes 400 at Darlington Raceway. The race, which was won by Kevin Harvick, featured increased safety measures, including social distancing, limited team members and temperature checks. The event drew over 6.3 million viewers. The Xfinity Series resumed on May 21 in Darlington. Chase Briscoe won the race.

JUNE 19A concerning report emerged regarding UCLA football. Thirty UCLA football players are backing a document that claims the athletes don't trust head coach Chip Kelly to follow safety protocols, according to  J. Brady McCollough of the Los Angeles Times. Players request that a "third-party health official" attend all activities, such as voluntary workouts, to ensure Kelly and others follow recommended guidelines and restrictions during the pandemic. Although some players would later apologize for the document becoming public, this is certainly an eyebrow-raising allegation. Read more here.Clemson announced that 28 student-athletes returned positive COVID-19 results out of 315 tests. The Athletic's Grace Raynor reported 23 of those 28 athletes are football players. Most individuals were described to be asymptomatic. None required hospitalization as of the start of the weekend. Read more here.JUNE 18On Wednesday, reports emerged that Texas had six players that tested positive for COVID-19, and that “at least” 15 players were in quarantine due to contact tracing. On Thursday, Texas announced 13 players have tested positive for COVID-19 or are presumed positive, per Brian Davis of the Austin American-Statesman. Ten more players are also in self-quarantine and are asymptomatic. Read more here.Colorado also discovered two of its football players tested positive for COVID-19, reports Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic. Read more here.JUNE 17The 31st Southern Heritage Classic has been canceled due to COVID-19, which means the annual football game between Jackson State and Tennessee State has also been canceled in 2020. In a social media announcement, the event shared that refunds for the football game can be received at the point of purchase. Read more here.According to Chip Brown of 247 Sports, the Texas Longhorns had six players test positive for the coronavirus. Due to contact tracing, there are “at least 15” players in quarantine at this time. Last week, half the team was tested, resulting in two positive results. This week, the other half of the team was tested. Read more here.JUNE 16Kansas State recently allowed players to resume voluntary workouts this week after a round of COVID-19 tests came up negative. The team believed the coast was clear with seemingly no member of the football team having the coronavirus. Unfortunately, per 247 Sports’ GoPowercat, that proved to not be the case. Two players who arrived late to campus were allowed to train with some of their teammates during an off-campus workout. The decision was made before the players’ test results came in, which later revealed they had the coronavirus. Read more here.Despite outbreaks at multiple schools, USC athletic director Mike Bohn believes it's possible that fans will be able to attend football games at the Coliseum. Per Ryan Kartje of the Los Angeles Times, Bohn wrote in a letter to season-ticket holders that USC is "preparing for the possibility that fans will be permitted to attend games this year in a reduced capacity Coliseum." Read more here.JUNE 15ESPN spoke with and polled 73 anonymous players from across the FBS on a variety of topics relating to the football season and coronavirus, and a majority of players are OK with playing and practicing without a vaccine, but they do have some stipulations. Of the 73 players polled, 64 are comfortable playing and practicing without a vaccine. Among their stipulations, though, are that they need to be allowed to see their families, consistent testing for all involved and professional advising on the situation. Read more here.JUNE 14Ohio State has required its football players to sign a coronavirus waiver acknowledging the risks they are taking on by returning to campus and participating in the team's offseason program, according to Joey Kaufman of The Columbus Dispatch. The waiver also contains a "Buckeye pledge" — which urges players to "take responsibility for my own health and help stop the spread of the COVID-19." Read more here.JUNE 12The University of Houston has suspended voluntary workouts after six symptomatic student-athletes tested positive for COVID-19. After outbreaks at Houston, Alabama and several other universities among their student-athletes, one has to wonder if the NCAA will revise the plan for football workouts and practices, which was reported on June 11. Read more here.JUNE 11Yahoo Sports' Pete Thamel reported the NCAA Football Oversight Committee announced a recommendation for coaches to begin formally working with players by July 13, which would open up film study and strength workouts. Following that two-week period, programs would are cleared to begin 20-hour weeks with football players July 24 — in an effort for an OTAs-style pre-camp period. August 7 serves as the training camp target date. Read more here.The Alabama football team may have an outbreak on its hands. Three more Crimson Tide players have tested positive for the virus. This comes after five players tested positive. All these players were among a group of 50 who practiced together this week. Read more here.JUNE 8Longhorns Wire reported the NCAA is set to approve a six-week calendar to get the season to begin on time. Teams can start their summer activities on July 13 and have their first day of practice being on Aug. 7. Read more here.JUNE 6Packers CEO Mark Murphy confirmed the scheduled Wisconsin-Notre Dame game will still take place at Lambeau Field. The game was in question due to concerns over the coronavirus. Read more here.JUNE 5Patrick Murphy of 247Sports reported that at Ohio State, Buckeyes football players will be able to return to facilities for voluntary workouts on Monday, June 8. Other fall athletes can return to campus over the following two Mondays. Among the safety protocols, athletes will have to take courses on social distancing practices and undergo daily temperature checks. Read more here.JUNE 4Arkansas State announced a COVID-19 outbreak. In a statement, via KAIT 8 in Arkansas, chancellor Kelly Damphousse announced that seven student-athletes have tested positive for the coronavirus. Read more here.The Bama Insider staff also reported that up to five Alabama Crimson Tide football players tested positive for COVID-19 upon their returns to campus for voluntary workouts. Simone Eli of CBS 42 added nearly 50 Bama players "should" quarantine as a result of their exposure. Player identities were kept anonymous to respect their privacy. Read more here.ESPN's Heather Dinich reported on safety precautions Notre Dame will be taking for its football players, including housing players in an on-campus hotel during the summer and encouraging them to wears masks during indoor workouts. Read more here.JUNE 3Five of Oklahoma State’s players have now tested positive for the coronavirus. As a result, freshmen who were expected to arrive on Tuesday were told to stay home, reports SiriusXM’s Gabe Ikard. Read more here.In addition, just two days after Marshall University announced two of its athletes tested positive for the coronavirus, another athlete will now be quarantined due to COVID-19. Marshall already started to take steps to isolate the two student-athletes and a university employee who tested positive earlier this week. At this time, health officials do not believe the cases are related, and all four people to test positive are asymptomatic. Read more here.Amid the uptick in positive test results for student-athletes, Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley said he was worried that coaches will be pushing the limits on "voluntary" workouts and practices. Safety guidelines will vary in different locations, and coaches turning "voluntary" practices into mandatory could be a reality as the season approaches. Read more here.JUNE 2Notre Dame announced that the game vs. Navy scheduled to take place in Ireland has been moved to Maryland. At this point, it’s not yet known whether the game will even go on as planned. Everything remains up in the air as it relates to the start of the 2020 college football season. Read more here.In addition, South Carolina men's basketball coach Frank Martin announced via the university's website that he tested positive for COVID-19 and recovered. Read more here.Oklahoma State star linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga said that he tested positive for COVID-19 after attending a protest in Tulsa. Read more here.MAY 22The University of Alabama in Huntsville announced it would be eliminating its hockey and men’s and women’s tennis programs due to financial problems caused by the pandemic. Read more here.MAY 20Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports reported that the NCAA would allow football and basketball players back on campuses starting June 1. The universities are tasked with ensuring the students’ safety as well as testing. Read more here.MAY 12California State University announced campuses would remain closed through the fall semester, suggesting football is in jeopardy. San Jose State and San Diego State are among universities whose campuses will be closed in the fall. Dr. Anthony Fauci echoed those sentiments, saying that he didn’t see students on campuses this fall as a possibility. However, that same day, ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum said ADs and coaches expect a college football season to happen. Read more here.MAY 9NCAA president Mark Emmert announced there won’t be fall sports if universities don’t allow students on campus, saying that student-athletes deserve the same safety as other students. Read more here.

JUNE 17Serena Williams has confirmed she will play in the U.S. Open, which will take place without fans in attendance. "I really cannot wait to return in New York and play the U.S. Open 2020," Williams said. The Open runs from Aug. 31 through Sept. 13 and will be the first Grand Slam tournament since tennis play was suspended in March. Read more here.JUNE 16New York Governor Andrew Cuomo officially gave the go-ahead for the U.S. Open to begin as scheduled, which would make it the first sporting event to be held in New York since the COVID-19 pandemic began. With the schedule tentatively set, the big question remaining is will the big names in tennis show up for the tournament? Read more here.Nick Kyrgios has criticized the plan, calling the idea of not delaying the tournament "selfish" in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more here.JUNE 15One of the biggest tennis tournaments in the United States is set to begin at the end of the summer, and the USTA reportedly is moving ahead with its plans to play the US Open beginning on Aug. 31, according to ESPN's Peter Bodo. The ATP and WTA have "embraced" the plan, Bodo adds citing sources, and it appears the USTA will make an announcement regarding the US Open once they get the green light from health officials in New York. Read more here.JUNE 8Novak Djokovic expressed concerns about participating in the U.S. Open in August due to the extreme restrictions that are expected to be put in place due to the coronavirus. Djokovic noted that players would be able to bring only a single person to the club, which he was skeptical about. Read more here.JUNE 2On June 2, as the United States Tennis Association pondered proposals for how New York can host the 2020 U.S. Open during the uncontrolled and unpredictable virus outbreak, one plan mentioned by Christopher Clarey of The New York Times on Tuesday involves the USTA relocating a tournament just for this year. Read more here.MAY 19The  USTA released guidelines for how players should return to the court. Like in any sport, due to the hiatus, players could be more susceptible to injury. The organization recommends “players ease their way back into play” before participating in any competition. Read more here.APRIL 20Novak Djokovic said he was opposed to a coronavirus vaccination that would be mandatory to play and travel. Rival Rafael Nadal said that Djokovic “will have to be vaccinated” if he wants to play. However, Nadal is not optimistic about tennis in 2020. He said on May 5 that he believes this year’s tennis is “lost” and that he is instead focusing on 2021. Read more here.MARCH 30Wimbledon, originally scheduled for June 29 to July 12, was canceled for the first time in 75 years. Read more here.

JUNE 17Gary Cassidy of Sportskeeda and John Pollock of Post Wrestling confirmed that WWE suspended taping for the June 26 edition of "SmackDown" at the company's Performance Center as officials waited for coronavirus test results. Pollock and ESPN's Andrew Feldman added that tapings for "Raw," "NXT," "205 Live" and "Main Event" occurred on Wednesday. Read more here.JUNE 16Professional wrestling and mixed martial arts journalist Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer reported that WWE postponed its taping schedule for Tuesday after a developmental performer tested positive for the coronavirus. Previously, the Observer noted that WWE executive Paul Levesque, known as "Triple H," declined to directly answer if the promotion repeatedly tested performers and other personnel for the coronavirus. Read more here.MAY 31Dave Meltzer reported on "Wrestling Observer Radio" that WWE cut the pay of many staffers — including referees and producers — by 20 percent. Meltzer noted that the highest-level personnel hold stock in WWE, and that is where they make the most money. Even though they personally took a pay cut earlier, they were largely unaffected. WWE still continues to produce content, but the events take place in empty arenas. Listen to Meltzer's interview here.MAY 21AEW vice president and in-ring talent Cody Rhodes said in the event of a positive test, the organization would not shut down production. Read more here.MAY 6The AEW also continues to tape and broadcast live matches. The organization moved to Florida and conducts matches from an amphitheater in Jacksonville. Ahead of “Dynamite” on, all wrestlers and personnel were given COVID-19 tests, and everyone tested negative. Read more here.APRIL 15WWE was forced to lay off wrestlers as a money-saving measure due to the pandemic. Luke Gallows, Heath Slater and Eric Young were among the cuts. Executive board members are also taking pay cuts. Read more here.APRIL 14News broke that American First Action, Linda McMahon's super PAC, would be spending $18.5 million in the Tampa and Orlando markets. The spending will come in the form of advertising for the election from Labor Day through Election Day. The spending will help those communities because it goes to local businesses, therefore helping economies in Florida. Read more here.APRIL 13Florida announced professional sports would be considered "essential," thereby paving the way for all WWE shows to take place in the state. Read more here.APRIL 4-5WrestleMania 36 still took place and featured NFL star Rob Gronkowski, who took home the 24/7 Championship belt. Read more here.

JUNE 18The junior welterweight boxing match on Top Rank on ESPN between Jose Pedraza and Mikkel LesPierre has been canceled after Josie Taveras, LesPierre's manager, tested positive for COVID-19. In light of the cancellation, the junior lightweight fight between Gabe Flores Jr. and Josec Ruiz is now the main event. Read more here.MAY 28SI's Chris Mannix reported the third installment of Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin will be postponed. The fight was originally scheduled for Sept. 12 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, but the promoters did not want the bout to go on unless fans can attend. Canelo won the first fight, but the second bout came to a draw. Read more here.MAY 27The Associated Press reported Top Rank Boxing got the green light to return to Las Vegas, with the organization intending to hold multiple events on June 9 and 11 at the MGM Grand. Read more here.MAY 26Tyson Fury said he was offered an exhibition fight against Iron Mike that would raise money for charity. A 31-year-old Fury vs. his 53-year-old namesake? Yes, please. But unfortunately, Fury said that nothing "materialized" from the talks. Read more here.MAY 21Although Mike Tyson has not boxed professionally in around 15 years, Iron Mike said on that he would be willing to take on Evander Holyfield in a charity bout. Tyson infamously bit off part of Holyfield's ear when they fought in 1997. Read more here, and check out Holyfield's response.

May 20IOC president Thomas Bach said, “You cannot have the athletes being in uncertainty,” according to the BBC.APRIL 28Tokyo Games president Yoshiro Mori said these Olympics would be canceled entirely if they can’t take place on the new date. Read more here.MARCH 29The 2020 Summer Games were set to take place in Tokyo July 24 through Aug. 9 but now are tentatively scheduled for July 23 through Aug. 8, 2021. The sad truth is that no one knows what the world will look like a year from now and whether the games can take place then either. Read more here.

JUNE 18Atlanta United is the latest MLS team to announce a positive coronavirus test. Atlanta confirmed a first-team player tested positive, and the club plans to conduct widespread testing on Friday while continuing league-approved workout protocols. Read more here.JUNE 11We now have a better idea of MLS's tournament schedule. Inter Miami CF vs. Orlando City is among the July 8 tournament fixtures. Kickoff time and the TV broadcasts of the match aren't known. Read more here.JUNE 10MLS, in conjunction with Walt Disney World, announced Wednesday that the "MLS Is Back Tournament" will take place at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex from July 8 to Aug. 11. The tournament will have all 26 clubs competing in a continuous schedule of 54 total matches that will be played nearly every day. These matches will count toward the 2020 MLS regular-season standings, and the tournament winner will earn a spot in the 2021 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League. Read more here.MLS commissioner Don Garber said he's hopeful teams will be able to host some fans in their home stadiums later in the year after the tournament ends. Several states have started allowing small gatherings, as local governments continue loosening guidelines. Read more here.JUNE 3MLS and the MLS Players Association agreed to terms for an amended collective bargaining agreement that will likely include a July return to action. All 26 clubs could report to the Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World by June 24, and there will be a tournament held in Orlando. Read more here.JUNE 2Former player and current ESPN analyst Taylor Twellman and Jeff Carlisle of ESPN both reported the two sides are close to avoiding a work stoppage. Read more here.JUNE 1Major League Soccer reportedly sent a counteroffer to the MLSPA and wants a decision by Tuesday or the league will sanction a lockout, according to NBC Sports' Joe Prince-Wright. According to Jeff Carlisle of ESPN. MLS says it's already given the MLSPA its best offer and are hesitant to budge. Read more here.After the MLS owners threatened a lockout, The Athletic's Paul Tenorio reported that all MLS players agreed to skip voluntary practice sessions on Monday and that owners were using the current sports landscape to alter the collective bargaining agreement between the two sides past 2020. Read more here.MAY 30Paul Tenorio and Sam Stejskal of The Athletic reported the MLS Players Association approved a return-to-play plan that will be sent to team owners. Under the plan, players would fly to Orlando on June 24, undergo a two-week training camp and then compete in a three-game group stage and knockout rounds. However, an agreement on player pay cuts is not included in the plan and must still be negotiated. Read more here.MAY 27The National Women's Soccer League announced it will return to play with the NWSL Challenge Cup, which will take place from June 27 to July 26 in Utah. Every team will play in a 25-game tournament in empty stadiums. Read more here.On May 27, ESPN's Jeff Carlisle reported MLS is eyeing a return-to-play tournament in Orlando. MLS started to allow teams to resume training so long as they followed local guidelines. MLS is considering allowing teams to stay in their home cities until June 21 and then travel to Orlando for the tourney. Read more here. MAY 19On May 19, MLS announced the cancellation of the All-Star Game, Leagues Cup and Campeones Cup. Read more here.

JUNE 17As expected, UEFA confirmed that the 2019-20 Champions League competition will finish in Lisbon, Portugal in August under unique circumstances. ESPN's Mark Ogden and Goal.com noted that the remaining round-of-16 fixtures could occur either at the grounds of home clubs or be relocated to Portugal for Aug. 7-8. From there, the rest of the tournament will move to a single-elimination format with fixtures played at Benfica's Estadio da Luz and Sporting's Estadio Jose Alvalade. Quarterfinal contests begin Aug. 12, with the Final set for Aug. 23 at the Estadio da Luz. Read more here.JUNE 15When the English Premier League restarts play amid the coronavirus pandemic on June 17, fans will be welcomed to take part in the action in a unique way. Per Dan Kilpatrick of the Evening Standard, Premier League fixtures will include "fan walls" that include supporters and season ticket holders. Unlike other competitions, however, it's expected fan noise will not be pumped into stadiums to be heard by footballers on the pitch. Read more here.JUNE 12In late May, Miguel Delaney of The Independent and Tariq Panja of The New York Times reported that the 2020 Champions League Final that was indefinitely suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic would be moved from Instanbul because the Turkish capital wouldn't earn a return on investment for a Final played without spectators. PA Chief Sports Reporter Jamie Gardner wrote that Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, is now the favorite to host the remainder of Europe's top club tournament and that the competition will enter a new format once the last four round-of-16 fixtures are completed. Read more here.JUNE 9Manchester United's friendly vs. Stoke City was canceled after a Stoke player tested positive for COVID-19. Stoke players had already traveled separately to United's training base and were told to return home. United players played an intersquad match instead. Read more here.JUNE 8ESPN's Mark Ogden reported that UEFA is considering staging a mini-tournament at a neutral site to complete the Champions League season. UEFA is expected to make a decision when its executive committee meets later in June, according to Ogden. Read more here.JUNE 5Fixtures for the English Premier League were announced for the first three rounds of the restarted season. The league will kick off with Aston Villa vs. Sheffield United and Manchester City vs. Arsenal to open the resumed season. The first full round of fixtures will begin with Norwich vs. Southampton on June 19 and the leagues' chief executive officer couldn't be more excited for matches to resume. Read more here.JUNE 4Miguel Delaney of The Independent and other outlets confirmed that the Premier League will increase the number of substitutes clubs can use during a match from three to five for the remainder of the campaign. Clubs will also feature 20-man squads and increase the substitutes bench from seven to nine men to ease concerns regarding player fitness following a layoff that will have lasted roughly three months once games resume. Read more here.Premier League outfit Tottenham Hotspur confirmed they borrowed £175 million from the British government as part of the COVID Corporate Financing Facility amid the coronavirus pandemic. Read more here.JUNE 3Sky Sports reported that the English Premier League recently conducted 1,197 coronavirus tests among players, managers and other personnel leading up to the June 17 resumption of the season, which was halted in March. Tottenham Hotspur were responsible for the only positive as part of the league's latest round of testing. Read more here.JUNE 2John Percy of The Telegraph explained that teams can schedule exhibition warmups vs. other clubs as long as sides from England's top flight travel no more than 90 minutes from home stadiums, players agree to drive to and from venues in their personal vehicles, and they arrive to games in their full kits and ready to perform. Read more here.MAY 29Spain's National Sports Council announced La Liga will officially return to action on June 11. Matches will be played behind closed doors as outlined by the league's health and safety protocols. Read more here.In addition, Miguel Delaney of The Independent reported that UEFA intends to complete all Champions League and Europa League fixtures in August leading up to those two Finals. Delaney added the Champions League Final could be moved from Istanbul because Turkey's capital won't earn a return on investment for a Final that will be played behind closed doors and without fans due to the virus outbreak.Hours after Delaney's story dropped, Tariq Panja of The New York Times confirmed Instanbul won't host the Final. Panja added that "a number of alternative venues" are being considered by UEFA, that a decision regarding the two European tournaments may not be made until June 17, and that Istanbul could be awarded a future UCL Final once supporters are welcomed back to stadiums. Read more here.Sky Sports News reported the FA Cup quarterfinals are tentatively scheduled for the weekend of June 27-28, with the Final planned for Saturday, Aug. 1. Venues and kickoff times for the quarterfinals weren't announced. The semifinal matches and Final will occur at Wembley Stadium. It's believed all games will occur behind closed doors and without supporters. Read more here.MAY 28On May 28, the Premier League's "Project Restart" was approved, and the EPL will pick back up June 17. On that date, Aston Villa will face Sheffield United, and Manchester City will play against Arsenal. Read more here and check out the resumed schedule here.The same day the Premier League announced it will return amid the coronavirus pandemic on June 17 with a pair of fixtures, Italy sports minister Vincenzo Spadafora confirmed his country's top-flight competition, Serie A, is set to resume play on June 20. Read more here.The Austrian Bundesliga penalized club LASK for violating social distancing guidelines. LASK was docked 12 points and fined €75,000. The other teams in the league felt LASK was creating an unfair advantage for itself by conducting full training sessions, against league rules, while the rest of the clubs were following the protocols. LASK was previously in first place in league standings, but the points reduction knocked the club down to second. Read more here.MAY 16Over in Germany, the Bundesliga resumed on May 16. Typical safety protocols are in place, and the teams play in empty stadiums, which pipe in sound to mimic crowds for the television audience. Read more here.

JUNE 15The WNBA will resume play next month in Florida with a 22-game season and a full playoff schedule at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., the league announced Monday. Players who opt into the 2020 season will receive their full salaries, assuming the league is able to complete both the regular and postseason. Read more here.APRIL 3The WNBA announced it would be postponing training camp and the 2020 season, which was supposed to begin on May 15. The WNBA draft occurred on schedule on April 17, and Sabrina Ionescu was selected with the No. 1 overall pick by the New York Liberty. The WNBA paid tribute to Gianna Bryant, Payton Chester and Alyssa Altobelli, naming them honorary draft picks.

MAY 19Esports’ popularity has experienced an uptick on both sides of the remote, as CNBC’s Bob Woods reported on May 19 that streaming website Twitch experienced a “23% surge in viewership in March,” coinciding with the time frame when much of the country started to stay home.MAY 4While the pandemic is having a negative effect on the sports world, it’s been business as usual for eSports and gaming. Participants can easily play while maintaining social distancing guidelines since gaming takes place online. In fact, eSports has been flourishing. Texas A&M head eSports coach Travis Yang told KSAT.com that there has been a “noticeable increase” in gamers and tournaments as people were forced to stay at home.

JUNE 13Approximately 20,000 rugby fans in New Zealand packed the stands to watch the Otago Highlanders take on the Waikato Chiefs in the Super Rugby Aotearoa competition. New Zealand lifted nearly all of its coronavirus restrictions earlier in the week, as no new cases have been reported for more than 20 days and the death toll is at just 22 in the country since the pandemic started. Read more here.MAY 28The Boston Marathon, originally scheduled for April 20 but postponed amid the coronavirus pandemic, was canceled and converted into a virtual experience. It's the first time in 124 years the Marathon won't run. Read more here.