Sport Report: Big Ten might not play football this fall

Here is what has happened over the last couple of weeks in the NBA:JULY 30Rudy Gobert received plenty of criticism for his behavior leading up the coronavirus pandemic but the Jazz center says that the media's portrayal of him was unfair, as he feels he was made to be the scapegoat for the entire league shutting down. Read more here.Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer confirmed that Eric Bledsoe and Pat Connaughton will remain sidelined for now, per Eric Woodyard of ESPN. Both Bledsoe and Connaughton tested positive for COVID-19 earlier in the summer, delaying their arrivals to the NBA’s Walt Disney World campus. They’ve each cleared quarantine and have returned to practice, but Budenholzer believes the two veterans need a little more time to get their conditioning and rhythm up to par. Read more here.Under the NBA resumption protocols, Memphis must hold a lead of at least four-and-a-half games over the club/clubs in ninth to avoid a play-in game or games for the conference's final postseason berth. Memphis star guard and uncrowned NBA Rookie of the Year Ja Morant criticized the process during an appearance on  ESPN's "The Jump" that aired Thursday. Read more here.The NBA resumed its season Thursday night, with the Jazz beating the Pelicans and the Lakers squeaking out a victory over the Clippers. Read more here.JULY 29The latest round of testing at the Walt Disney World campus resulted in no new cases of COVID-19, the league and its players association tweeted in a joint statement. No positive results were recorded among the 344 players who have been tested since July 20. Read more here.JULY 28NBA teams 'very much expect' to start next year without fans, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Read more here.Furthermore, NBPA executive director Michele Roberts told ESPN that embracing a "bubble" format may be the only way the Association can complete the 2020-21 season. "All I know is what I know now. So it may be that, if the bubble is the way to play, then that is likely gonna be the way we play next season, if things remain as they are," Roberts said, per ESPN's Tim Bontemps. Read more here.Pels star Zion Williamson has cleared his quarantine period and will be permitted to practice with the Pelicans, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. That will give him two chances to get back up to speed in practice before Thursday’s game against the Utah Jazz. Read more here.JULY 27Clippers guard Patrick Beverley has returned to Walt Disney World after exiting for a family emergency, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Read more here.Suns center Aron Baynes has cleared the NBA’s medical protocols after contracting COVID-19 and has been given the go-ahead to travel, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who reports that Baynes is set to arrive at the Walt Disney World campus Monday. Read more here. Read more here.Kristaps Porzingis was in quarantine for a day after missing a coronavirus test in the NBA bubble, which he calls a “mistake.” The Mavs big man missed his test on Saturday and could not scrimmage with his team on Sunday as a result. Read more here.JULY 26Following Lou Williams' visit to a strip club during his excused absence, the NBA announced he will have to undergo a 10-day quarantine, which means he will miss the Clippers' first two games of the resumption. Read more here.JULY 25Bam Adebayo and Kendrick Nunn returned to practice on Friday after both tested positive for the coronavirus and recently finished quarantine, per ESPN's Nick Friedell. Read more here.The league is close to finalizing plans for the eight teams not in Orlando to hold practices and group workouts, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer reports. Under the proposal, those teams would be allowed a week of practice at their home facilities, beginning the second week of August. They might also conduct two weeks of group workouts and scrimmages at two of those sites. Read more here.Rockets guard Austin Rivers is back on the Walt Disney World campus, two days after leaving for an urgent family matter. Rivers posted the new on his Instagram account. Read more here.JULY 24Rockets guard Austin Rivers has left the bubble complex due to an urgent family matter, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania. Rivers hopes to report back to Orlando sometime this weekend, Charania added. Read more here.Pacers All-Star forward Domantas Sabonis has left the bubble with a "significant left foot injury" and is seeking treatment from a specialist, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Read more here.JULY 23A week after revealing he had tested positive for coronavirus, Eric Bledsoe has arrived in Orlando and is planning on rejoining the Bucks once he has completed his quarantine. Read more here.Dwight Howard has become the subject of criticism after he declared that he does not believe in vaccines despite overwhelming evidence that shows that vaccines are safe and healthy. He addressed that criticism by doubling down on his stance. "Will vaccines work for some people? They may, or they may not. But, for me, I don’t believe in them," he said. Read more here.Pacers star guard Victor Oladipo is still not sure if he'll play in the NBA's resumption. "I don't know. We'll see. I'm assessing every day. Nothing is definite," he said. Read more here.JULY 22Russell Westbrook has cleared the NBA’s quarantine protocol after testing positive for the coronavirus, and the superstar is now allowed to join the Houston Rockets at the Walt Disney World Resort’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Read more here.Suns star Aron Baynes revealed to Shams Charania of Stadium that he and his immediate family members tested positive for COVID-19. He said his family had "minimal symptoms," but it "put [him] on [his] butt for a good week." He also said he continues to test positive despite feeling better. Read more here.JULY 21San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich has and will continue to don a mask in the Orlando, Fla., bubble so long as the team competes in the NBA restart at the Walt Disney World Resort’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Being 71 years old puts Popovich at a high risk for severe, potentially even fatal complications should he contract COVID-19. Read more here.The NBA has moved up its 2020 draft lottery by five days, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who reports that the event, previously tentatively scheduled for Aug. 25, will now take place on Thursday, Aug. 20. Read more here.The NBA has confirmed a weekend report, announcing Tuesday in a press release that its 2020 awards will be based on games played through March 11, without this summer’s “seeding games” being taken into account. To ensure that the media members who vote on the awards aren’t influenced at all by the upcoming seeding games, voting will take place from July 21-28, according to the league. Read more here.JULY 20Bucks wing Pat Connaughton revealed that he recently tested positive for the coronavirus and has not yet reported to the NBA’s campus in Orlando. Read more here.Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams wants fans to know he's handling life in Florida just fine. "Let's be clear: This is not Syria. It's not that hard ... We're living at a bloody resort. Everyone is going to complain, everyone has their own preferences, nothing too serious. Just a bit of dry food here and there," he said. Read more here.One week after Houston Rockets guard Russell Westbrook  confirmed via social media that he tested positive for the coronavirus before his scheduled journey to the bubble site of the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Florida, Houston coach Mike D'Antoni told reporters the one-time MVP has traveled to Orlando. Read more here.NBA players have been living inside their bubble campus in Orlando for two weeks now, and the arrangement appears to be limiting the spread of the coronavirus. The NBA announced that zero players out of 346 have tested positive for COVID-19 since the last time test results were shared on July 13. Read more here.JULY 19Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni is providing an update on Russell Westbrook since the star testing positive for COVID-19. Per Mark Berman of Fox 26, D'Antoni said Brodie is "in pretty good shape and has been ramping up." Read more here.JULY 18On Friday, the Magic announced significant layoffs. Former Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy responded to that news with some pointed criticism on Twitter Saturday, saying that the team's owners, the DeVos family, are billionaires and could easily pay those salaries. Read more here.Games will be shorter as NBA teams open the exhibition schedule in a few days, writes Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press. Each team’s first game will have 10-minute quarters, giving players a chance to ease back into competition after a four-month break. Read more here.JULY 17ESPN’s Malika Andrews obtained a copy of a memo the NBA sent to players on Thursday, and it included reminders of several “campus rules.” One of them was to dress appropriately when having room service delivered. Read more here.The NBA has expanded the number of people it is allowing on the Walt Disney World campus, and more changes could be coming in the future, according to Sam Amick and Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. A memo was sent out this week saying that team governors will be allowed to attend seeding games, and the eight teams not invited to Orlando can send scouts when the season resumes in 13 days. Read more here.James Edwards III of The Athletic reported that "there are whispers in NBA circles that next year’s cap is going to drop to about $109 million." Read more here.Clippers forward Montrezl Harrell left the bubble because of a family emergency, per The Athletic's Shams Charania. As Bleacher Report's Blake Schuster wrote, the 26-year-old will be asked to quarantine for at least four days upon his return. Read more here.JULY 16Dwight Howard revealed that someone called the NBA hotline and told on him, letting the league know that the Lakers center had not been wearing his mask when he was supposed to. Read more here.The NBA has set up a hotline that is meant to allow players and personnel to anonymously report anyone who is not following proper social-distancing protocol. Memphis Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant says he has no interest in turning anyone in. Read more here.Michael Beasley signed with Brooklyn a week ago but tested positive for COVID-19 upon arriving to the Walt Disney World campus and didn’t clear quarantine. As a result, the Nets have decided to sign a substitute player to replace him. Read more here.Bucks star Eric Bledsoe told Chris Haynes of Yahoo that he tested positive for COVID-19 and is currently asymptomatic. Bledsoe has not been in Orlando at all since the Bucks arrived at the bubble, but he told Haynes that he expects to rejoin his teammates once he has cleared all protocols. Read more here.JULY 15There has been some concern that the daily coronavirus testing taking place in the NBA’s Walt Disney World — as well as the quick turnaround on those test results — has placed some strain on BioReference Laboratories’ testing capacities for the general public. However, Dr. Jon R. Cohen of BioReference insists to Joe Vardon of The Athletic that that’s not the case. “Our current capacity is somewhere in the vicinity of 50,000 to 70,000 tests a day,” Cohen said. “So the amount of testing we’re doing for the sports franchises is minimal compared to our total number of testing." Read more here.Joe Vardon of The Athletic reports that the NBA has recruited renowned executive chef Shawn Loving to the Walt Disney World Resort campus to make adjustments to the meals provided to players, coaches and team staffs. Loving comes with solid credentials in the NBA world, having served as chef for both Team USA basketball and the Detroit Pistons. Read more here.Thunder Dennis Schroder explained that he will return home in "three to four weeks" for the birth of the couple's second child. Excused absences, such as childbirth, are permitted as long as the player quarantines for four days upon his return to Orlando and tests negative for the coronavirus for each day he stays off the campus. Read more here.Magic forward James Ennis explained that he tested positive for the coronavirus weeks before he joined teammates in the bubble. Ennis added that he experienced multiple symptoms, including headaches and vomiting. While he said he's feeling better, he admitted he's still working to get back to full fitness and playing shape. Read more here. Playing games in empty arenas will be weird. To enhance the experience, Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said Wednesday that there will be virtual fans, digital boards and “home team sounds” during Orlando bubble games. Read more here.JULY 14The NBA and NBPA disagree about how Victor Oladipo‘s remaining salary should be handled, assuming he doesn’t play for the Pacers this summer, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN. The players’ union believes that Oladipo should be paid his remaining salary, which works out to nearly $3M. The league believes the All-Star guard is voluntarily opting out and shouldn’t be paid. Read more here.Kings forward Harrison Barnes confirmed he tested positive for the coronavirus before the team's flight to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Florida to complete the 2019-20 NBA season. Barnes tweeted he is "primarily asymptomatic" and quarantining as he waits to be cleared to join teammates in Florida. Read more here.Spurs assistant Tim Duncan is staying out of the Orlando bubble. Instead, he is helping oversee LaMarcus Aldridge’s rehab efforts. Read more here.Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on Tuesday that there have been multiple tips placed to the anonymous hotline to inform the NBA of potential violations. Those tips have resulted in players receiving warnings. Read more here.The Brooklyn Nets’ roster appears to have suffered another blow after Michael Beasley tested positive for the coronavirus. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Beasley has been sent home by the Nets, and it is unknown if he will be able to play for Brooklyn in Orlando. Read more here.After a delay involving a positive coronavirus test and various travel complications, center Nikola Jokic has reported to the Nuggets at the Walt Disney World campus and has cleared quarantine, the team announced. Although Jokic has gone through his two-day quarantine period, he hasn’t yet been cleared to participate in practice, according to Chris Dempsey of Altitude Sports, who tweets that the big man is still waiting on results from “physical-type testing.” Read more here.JULY 13Rockets guard Russell Westbrook announced that he tested positive for the coronavirus prior to departing for the NBA’s campus in Florida. “I’m currently feeling well, quarantined, and looking forward to rejoining my teammates when I am cleared,” Westbrook wrote in his statement. Read more here.Westbrook's teammate, Rockets forward Bruno Caboclo, inadvertently broke quarantine at the NBA’s Walt Disney World campus and will be required to re-quarantine for another eight days before he resumes team activities, according to Tim MacMahon, Zach Lowe, Malika Andrews and Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Read more here.A league spokesperson confirmed to ESPN’s Nick DePaula on Monday that players will now be allowed to wear their own clothing while walking from the team bus to locker rooms. That is a shift from the previously announced policy, which instructed players to change in their hotel rooms and arrive already in uniform. Read more here.In addition to waiting on star center Nikola Jokic to arrive at the Walt Disney World campus from Serbia, the Nuggets are also currently missing a few other players, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. League sources tell Haynes that Gary Harris, Michael Porter Jr. and Torrey Craig haven’t made the trip to Disney. Read more here.Kings center Richaun Holmes announced on Twitter that he “briefly and accidentally crossed the NBA campus line” in order to pick up a food delivery following the initial quarantine period. As a result, Holmes is subject to a new 10-day quarantine period — he indicated in his statement that he has eight days left. Read more here.Two out of 322 NBA players tested for the coronavirus at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Florida returned positive results. "Those players never cleared quarantine and have since left the campus to isolate at home or in isolation housing," the NBA announced. Read more here.Some NBA players have readily criticized the league’s “bubble,” but Malcolm Brogdon has expressed support for it, tweeting: "The bubble has been good to me! I know there are so many people risking their health to pull this off and your hard work has not gone unnoticed!" Read more here.JULY 10According to USA Today, NBA players will have the opportunity to exclusively explore the Disney World theme parks after hours. Only select attractions will be available, though it looks like players will be able to ride some of Disneys top coasters including Expedition Everest, Rock "N" Rollercoaster and Test Track. Read more here.New Laker JR Smith says he was told to stop airing complaints about the hotel situation at the NBA bubble in Orlando. He had previously gone on Instagram Live to complain about various issues, such as a small blanket. Read more here.JULY 9Lou Williams said last month that he was contemplating sitting out the resumed NBA season in Orlando to focus on social issues, but it would appear the Los Angeles Clippers star is joining his teammates after all, as he appears to have traveled with the team to Florida. Read more here.Wizards center Thomas Bryant and bench point guard Gary Payton II have tested positive for COVID-19 and did not travel with their team to Orlando. Their availability for the season's resumption is up in the air. Read more here.JULY 8Marcus Smart, who tested positive for COVID-19 in March, believes veterans bear some responsibility in pointing young players in the right direction. “I think the younger guys are going to have some skepticism but I think as veteran guys and other guys on the team, we’ll have to do our part to keep those guys, I guess, in a sense, under control and just understanding that although you might not take it as serious, you’re putting other people at risk and they take it seriously, so you have to respect them.” Read more here.JULY 7Pelicans All-Star Brandon Ingram admits that he is not feeling great about the season actually being completed. "New cases are coming up. Different things are happening. I’m not very confident. But they’ve got us going to Orlando on [Wednesday], so we’ll see," Ingram said. Read more here.Bradley Beal announced that he will not play for the Washington Wizards in Orlando for the resumption of the NBA season due to an injury to his right rotator cuff. Beal will still go to Orlando with the team, but his injury will keep him from actually playing in the games. Read more here.Nets team doctors have decided to have Spencer Dinwiddie sit out of the NBA’s restart, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic. The decision is being made out of an “abundance of caution,” Charania adds, as Dinwiddie recently tested positive for the coronavirus. The Brooklyn guard has confirmed the news in a tweet. Read more here.It seems that Embiid also called out teammates whom he believes might put the All-Star center in harm’s way. Embiid also talked about how basketball isn’t everything and that health is important. Read more here.Another Nets player is sitting out Orlando. Forward Taurean Prince is also out after testing positive for the coronavirus, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Read more here.JULY 4The NBA is preparing for the intangible aspects of having players stuck in a bubble for an extended period of time. As such, Brett Martel of the Associated Press reports the league plans to emphasize mental health for players, who will be kept away from their families as they head to Walt Disney World. Read more here.Landry Shamet has tested positive for COVID-19, per Shams Charania of The Athletic. As a result, he is unlikely to travel to Orlando this week to join his teammates for workouts. Read more here.Another Heat player has tested positive for the coronavirus, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. At least one Heat staff member also had a positive test, a source tells Jackson. Read more here.JULY 3Gordon Hayward indicated it would it would be a “pretty easy decision” for him to leave Orlando if his wife Robyn were to go into labor in September, which would occur during the postseason as currently scheduled. The Haywards’ plan is to have the baby in Indianapolis, where there’s family to help Robyn with the newborn, especially if the Celtics star elects to return to Orlando to compete with the team in the later rounds of the postseason, if Boston makes it that far. Read more here.JULY 2As Bobby Marks of ESPN explains, no teams are currently permitted to make trades, including the bottom eight teams that aren’t participating in the summer resumption in Orlando, Fla. Even though the offseason has begun for those eight non-Orlando clubs (the Warriors, Timberwolves, Cavaliers, Pistons, Hawks, Knicks, Hornets and Bulls), a transaction moratorium remains in place for them following last week’s brief transaction window. The likely outcome is that the league and the players’ union will agree to lift the moratorium once the first round of the playoffs gets underway on Aug. 17. At that point, non-playoff teams — including the six teams in Orlando that don’t make the postseason — would be allowed to make trades, waive players and sign certain players to contract extensions. Read more here.The eight teams not invited to Orlando still might have an opportunity to play again this season. ESPN's Jackie MacMullan reports (via Woj) that the NBA is finalizing plans for a second bubble in Chicago that would be for the "Delete Eight" teams. Those clubs would be able too hold mini-training camps and games. Read more here.JULY 1Rockets guard Austin Rivers told Turner Sports' Taylor Rooks that he believes this year's NBA championship should come with an asterisk, calling it "one of the toughest championships ever won." Read more here.Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo echoed Rivers' thoughts, saying, per Sports Insiders' Scott Davis: "This will be the toughest championship you can ever win. The circumstances are really tough right now." Read more here.Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard told reporters (via  ESPN's Royce Young) that he believes some of his fellow players could try to bend the league's bubble rules. "My confidence ain't great because you're telling me you're gonna have 22 teams full of players following all the rules? When we have 100 percent freedom, everybody don't follow all the rules," Dame said. Read more here.JUNE 25Alex Len is the third Kings player to test positive for COVID-19. In a statement, Len said he underwent testing in Sacramento and immediately isolated. Read more here.Mavericks center Willie Cauley-Stein has decided to sit out of the NBA's resumption as a preventative measure. He and his partner are expecting a baby in July, and he doesn't want to put them at risk for the coronavirus. The Mavs will sign guard Trey Burke to take his place. Read more here.The NBA plans to use law enforcement to ensure player and staff safety. ESPN's Tim Bontemps reported that "local, state and federal law enforcement, plus former special operations forces" will be employed to secure the bubble site and keep NBA personnel safe from any intruders. Read more here.

Here is the latest MLB news from the past couple of weeks:JULY 30ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports that MLB has informed all teams they must have a coronavirus compliance officer who will travel with the team and assure all proper measures are being taken. Those measures include mandating the use of surgical masks rather than cloth face coverings. Players have also been encouraged to not travel outside of their hotels on road trips except for games. Read more here.Another Marlins player has tested positive for COVID-19 infection, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. His identity is not known at this time. With this test, Rosenthal says, we’re now up to 17 players from the 30-man active roster and/or 3-man taxi squad that are carrying the virus. Read more here.The Philadelphia Phillies announced that they have canceled all baseball activities indefinitely after two members of the organization tested positive for the coronavirus. While no players have tested positive, the Phillies said there were two staffers — one coach and one clubhouse worker — who have contracted COVID-19. The team will not be holding any workouts at Citizens Bank Park “until further notice.” Read more here.As a result, TSN's Scott Mitchell confirmed the weekend games between the Philadelphia Phillies and Toronto Blue Jays are canceled due to coronavirus concerns, per Toronto manager Charlie Montoyo. Read more here.MLB is discussing scheduling doubleheaders that will have just seven innings, which would help preserve pitchers during the truncated season. Remember, each team only has six off days. Read more here.Juan Soto believes he had a false positive test result. He has been cleared to return and will make his season debut on Aug. 4. Read more here.JULY 29Reds outfielder Nick Senzel has been cleared to return to the active roster, he announced on his Twitter account. Infielder Mike Moustakas was also given the green light to resume play. They had appealed a league determination of a lengthier period of absence after the duo had reported some symptoms potentially consistent with COVID-19 over the weekend. Read more here.Meanwhile, another member of the Marlins tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the number of known cases among the team to 18. Read more here.A member of the Philadelphia Phillies visiting clubhouse staff reportedly has tested positive for the coronavirus, a source told The Associated Press. Read more here.Nick Markakis is returning to the Braves after three weeks away, according to The Athletic's David O'Brien and Ken Rosenthal. He originally opted out in early July after participating in June workouts with the team. Markakis becomes the first player to change his mind about opting out. Read more here.Lou Schwechheimer, owner of the Miami Marlins' Triple-A affiliate Wichita Wind Surge, died on Wednesday from complications caused by COVID-19. Schwechheimer was 62 years old. Read more here.JULY 28Despite several games being postponed, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred insists the season can be salvaged. However, Dr. Fauci expressed his concern about the outbreak, saying it may end up forcing the league to shut down the season. "This could put it in danger," Fauci said on "Good Morning America." "I don't believe they need to stop, but we just need to follow this and see what happens with other teams on a day-by-day basis." Read more here.Despite facing a team that played knowing it had been exposed to the coronavirus, the Phillies’ first round of testing came up negative. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan and Jesse Rogers, no player or coach tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday. While the Phillies are in the clear for now, the team is postponing its matchup against the New York Yankees for the second consecutive day. Instead, per the New York Post’s Joel Sherman, the Yankees will return to New York to practice at Yankee Stadium. Read more here.The Nationals have voted not to make the trip to Miami for an upcoming three-game series against the Marlins, per The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, amid  a COVID-19 outbreak. However, per Rosenthal, the decision is in MLB’s hands. Read more here.Despite the league’s stated optimism that the Marlins’ situation is not severe enough to halt its abbreviated 60-game season, Philadelphia Phillies manager Joe Girardi nevertheless expressed concern Tuesday over the unquestionably troublesome situation. Read more here.Per MLB insiders Ken Rosenthal and Jon Heyman, MLB could have the Yankees and Orioles, currently in limbo through no fault of their personnel, play each other while the Marlins and Phillies temporarily quarantine. Read more here.SportsGrid's Craig Mish reported that Miami's 2020 season is temporarily on hold so the club and league "can continue to monitor health and safety of players" after over a dozen individuals associated with the franchise recently tested positive for the virus. Bob Nightengale of USA Today confirmed Mish's tweet and added Miami may not play for at least another week. Read more here.Soon after reports surfaced that the Marlins won't play this week after at least 17 individuals associated with the club recently tested positive for the coronavirus, MLB insiders Jon Heyman, Joel Sherman and Bill Shaikin tweeted that both the Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies are temporarily shut down. Miami likely won't play until at least Monday. Philadelphia could be eligible to return on Friday. Meanwhile, the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles will play each other during the midweek. Read more here.Miami-Dade mayor Carlos A. Giménez chimed in, saying the Marlins should quarantine for 14 days when they return to Florida. Read more here.As coronavirus cases rise throughout the United States, some around the league are already questioning if a professional season is possible outside of a bubble format. ESPN's Marly Rivera reported: "I've spoken to several MLB managers in both Leagues, and one thing they're really concerned about has been team hotels being full of people. Two managers told me about weddings being celebrated at the team hotel, which were really crowded and no social distancing was practiced." Read more here.On the same day that both the Miami Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies were temporarily shut down following a coronavirus outbreak among members of the Marlins, MLB declared that no other club registered a positive coronavirus test result since Friday. Read more here.In what may be a sign of things to come for the rest of MLB, the Miami Marlins confirmed the club is temporarily moving to daily coronavirus testing following an outbreak that paused campaigns for the Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies. Read more here.Chicago manager Rick Renteria was welcomed back to team activities just one day after he experienced symptoms commonly linked with the coronavirus. The White Sox announced on Monday that Renteria underwent precautionary testing at a Cleveland hospital and was kept away from players and other personnel. Read more here.The Marlins may have jeopardized the entire MLB season with an avoidable act. Bob Nightengale of USA Today told 93.7 The Fan that Marlins players left their hotel to go have fun in Atlanta. Read more here.JULY 27According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, 14 members of the Miami Marlins organization now have tested positive for the coronavirus. The Marlins were supposed to play the Baltimore Orioles in their home opener on Monday, but that has been canceled as the team is stuck in Philadelphia and still undergoing testing. Read more here.In addition, Monday night’s scheduled game between the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies has been postponed due to the developing COVID-19 situation with the Miami Marlins. Read more here.Following an outbreak of the coronavirus in the Miami Marlins organization, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher David Price decided to reveal part of the reason why he decided to not play in 2020. "Part of the reason I’m at home right now is because players [sic] health wasn’t being put first. I can see that hasn’t changed," Price tweeted. Read more here.Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Josh Lindblom made it clear that the MLB has an obligation to ensure safety for players and other team personnel. Per Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Lindblom said, “Somebody might have to make a hard decision.” Read more here.Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Tim Collins has opted out of the 2020 MLB season, becoming the first to do so after the Miami Marlins’ COVID-19 outbreak. Read more here.On the same day that a coronavirus outbreak among the Miami Marlins led to the cancellation of a pair of games, MLB owners reportedly elected to continue with the scheduled 60-game season. Scott Miller of Turner Sports tweeted the news and added that MLB officials will remind clubs of health and safety protocols for a campaign unlike any other. Read more here.The Chicago White Sox announced that manager Rick Renteria won't attend Monday's game versus the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field because he's showing symptoms of the coronavirus. Read more here.The Marlins were in Atlanta to play the Braves prior to the regular season starting, and Bob Klapisch of the Newark Star-Ledger reports that it is believed that is where more than a dozen players and coaches may have contracted COVID-19. There has been speculation that the Marlins either caught the coronavirus in Philadelphia, where they played the Phillies over the weekend, or home in Florida, where there has been a significant increase in COVID-19 cases over the past several weeks. Read more here.Rob Manfred appeared on MLB Network and said that the Marlins could begin a scheduled two-game series in Baltimore on Wednesday if Miami's latest coronavirus test results are deemed "acceptable." Read more here.Additionally, Manfred has shared the circumstances under which he would decide to pause a team’s season. “A team losing a number of players that rendered it completely non-competitive,” would be the circumstance, Manfred said on Monday. Read more here.JULY 26The Reds announced they have placed second baseman Mike Moustakas on the injured list. No reason was given for the placement, but Moustakas was scratched from the lineup Sunday morning after waking up “not feeling well,” in the words of manager David Bell, per the Cincinnati Enquirer's Bobby Nightengale. Read more here.The Blue Jays know where they’ll ultimately be playing their home games in 2020, but they won't make their debut in Buffalo until Aug. 11 against the Marlins. Read more  here.JULY 25The Reds announced they placed infielder Matt Davidson on the 10-day COVID-19 injured list after Davidson tested positive for the virus. Davidson was in the starting lineup for Friday’s 7-1 Cincinnati victory over Detroit, so in the wake of this positive test, surely there must be some concern within the Reds clubhouse about whether others could have been infected. Read more here.JULY 24The Blue Jays will, in fact, play in Buffalo at Sahlen Field this season, home of their Triple-A affiliate. The team confirmed that the majority of its home games will take place in Buffalo. Read more here.Atlanta manager Brian Snitker told media members on Friday that catchers Travis d'Arnaud and Tyler Flowers did not travel to New York's Citi Field because they were showing symptoms of the coronavirus. Per Will Palaszczuk of Radio.com, Snitker says that both players tested negative for the virus but remained in Atlanta out of fears that they could potentially infect teammates and opponents. Read more here.Dr. Anthony Fauci, who threw out the first pitch during the Washington Nationals' Opening Day matchup against the New York Yankees, will have his own personalized Topps Trading Card,  according to TMZ. The card will be available for a limited time and features the medical expert in a throwing motion. Read more here.Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez has been shut down indefinitely due to complications stemming from the coronavirus, and we now know a bit more about his condition. According to WEEI’s Rob Bradford, Rodriguez is dealing with a condition involving his heart. It is believed that Rodriguez has been diagnosed with “myocarditis,” which involves an inflammation of the heart muscle. It is often caused by a viral infection. Treatment for the condition includes medication and rest. Read more here.A total of 10,939 tests were conducted on MLB personnel the past week. Four players and two staff members tested positive. That’s a positive test rate of 0.5 percent, far less than the general public. Read more here.Thursday's New York Yankees versus Washington Nationals season-opener drew 4 million viewers, per ESPN's Ben Cafardo. That set a record for MLB Opening Night viewership and was up 232 percent from last year's Opening Night broadcast. Read more here.JULY 23Red Sox pitcher Collin McHugh says the decision to opt out is not at all what he planned for. “As the Red Sox reported, I have made the decision to opt out of the 2020 baseball season,” McHugh wrote. “It’s been a difficult choice for me and my family, and not at all what we had intended for this year.” McHugh was recovering from an elbow injury, and things were not progressing as he hoped. Read more here.Longtime Nationals corner infielder Ryan Zimmerman weighed retirement previously but ultimately elected to return for another season in 2020. He then reversed course in light of the coronavirus pandemic, opting out of the campaign, though he says he plans to return in 2021. Read more here.New York Mets hitting coach Chili Davis is working remotely due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic ahead of the club's Friday Opening Day matchup with division rivals the Atlanta Braves. Per the Associated Press and Mike Puma of the New York Post, the 60-year-old instructor who has aided Mets hitters from his Arizona home hasn't yet decided if he'll meet up with club personnel because he has undisclosed underlying health conditions. Read more here.The MLBPA has accepted a request from the league to add clubs to the playoff format for just this year, bumping the number of postseason teams from 10 to 16. Read more here.Yankees DH Giancarlo Stanton hit the first home run of the season, and it was a beauty. See it here.The Yankees-Nats game got delayed in the sixth inning due to inclement weather, and it would end up getting called. The Yanks would win the first game of strange season under strange circumstances, 4-1. Read more here.JULY 22Royals outfielder Hunter Dozier will open the season on the coronavirus-specific injured list after the club announced that he has tested positive for COVID-19. Read more here.The Associated Press (h/t ESPN) confirmed on Wednesday that MLB reversed a previous decision that banned bat-and-ball kids because of the worsening coronavirus pandemic. The kids won't be welcomed into dugouts so they remain at least 20 feet away from players and other league personnel at all times. All ball boys and girls must wear masks and gloves inside ballparks, they can't play catch with players, and they must place foul balls and other items directly into a bag for disinfecting purposes. Read more here.Former Seattle Mariners star Harold Reynolds said he would not opt out of the season if he was still playing today. Read more here.MLB and the MLBPA are again discussing potentially increasing the playoff format from 10 to 16 clubs, with both the AL and NL going to eight-team tournaments to create the World Series matchup, per MLB insider Jon Heyman. Read more here.Superstar Mike Trout has announced that he will be playing this season. He had long been considering opting out since his wife is pregnant with their first child. Read more here.JULY 21The league announced that teams will be allowed to use virtual and real advertising on their fields this season. Under the new guidelines, clubs can put ads for various companies across multiple locations. Read more here.The Tigers announced that lefty Daniel Norris has been cleared to return to the team’s 60-man player pool. He had been recovering from COVID-19 and awaiting consecutive negative tests. Read more here.Reigning World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg had his first experience with the MLB's new travel protocol on Monday, with the Nationals heading to Baltimore to face the Orioles in an exhibition game. Strasburg's review of the experience: "intense." Read more here.San Diego Padres chairman and co-owner Ron Fowler told Ben Higgins and Steven Woods on 97.3 The Fan in San Diego on Friday that the negotiations between the owners and MLBPA on the 2020 season were “not good for baseball.” He said the two sides couldn’t agree on a single issue. Read more here.Major League Baseball’s decision to pipe crowd noise into stadiums isn’t sitting well with at least one player. Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto is not a fan of the idea and thinks whoever came up with it definitely isn’t involved in the on-field competition. Read more here.MLB senior vice president of labor relations and deputy general counsel Patrick Houlihan teased that the league and clubs could discuss the topic of fans potentially attending games "if conditions change" and on a "case by case basis" as the season progresses. Read more here.JULY 20After exhibition games, the league isn't happy that some players aren't following guidelines to keep everyone safe. Andy Martino of SNY reported that MLB reached out to teams about players offering high-fives and fist-bumps to teammates before, during, and after games. Read more here.JULY 18Rays DH Jose Martinez has arrived in camp for the first time on Saturday. He confirmed that he had tested positive for coronavirus, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Read more here.Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman detailed his experience with COVID-19. Fox 5's Justin Felder relayed his comments: "I said a little prayer that night because I've never been that hot before ... I said 'please don't take me.' It got a little worrisome that night." Read more here.JULY 17Per an official joint statement, MLB and the MLBPA disclosed that 10,548 tests from the past week returned only six positive coronavirus results. Five of the positives were among players, while the other was a staff member. In total, 0.05% of those tested were positive for the virus. Read more here.After some speculation about the Nationals needing to play their games elsewhere, the team has been cleared to play opening night against the New York Yankees at Nationals Park. Read more here.The Nationals announced that they have released veteran left-handed reliever Fernando Abad. The Nats signed Abad to a minor-league contract in December, but he didn’t participate in their summer camp for an undisclosed reason. It turns out that Abad tested positive for COVID-19 when he arrived at camp, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports. Fortunately, Abad was asymptomatic and has just finished his 14-day quarantine. Read more here.Athletics left-hander Jesus Luzardo has been on the shelf since testing positive for coronavirus on July 7, but he has recovered from the illness. Luzardo has been cleared to practice and will rejoin Athletics summer camp on Friday, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com tweets. Read more here.Pirates outfielder Gregory Polanco has tested positive for the coronavirus, Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic was among those to report. Read more here.Yasiel Puig’s 2020 season is once again on hold after he tested positive for COVID-19. Puig announced the positive test on social media Friday. He said he is asymptomatic and will remain quarantined until he tests negative twice. Since he never officially signed with the Braves, Atlanta will not sign the former All-Star. Read more here.Dodgers Outfielder A.J. Pollock arrived in camp Friday and said his delayed arrival was due to contracting COVID-19. He was symptomatic and had to avoid both his wife and daughter, who was born prematurely. Read more here.JULY 16Phillies shortstop Didi Gregorius said that he will be wearing a mask this season, as a kidney condition makes him high-risk in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more here.MLB’s pro scouts are itching to get back in the ballpark, but it sounds like they’ll have to wait. The 2020 campaign will begin without live scouts, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Read more here.White Sox 3B Yoan Moncada has rejoined the club after a stint on the injured list, MLB.com reports. Moncada had been on the IL since July 10. The reason for Moncada’s IL placement was not disclosed at the time, but he announced Thursday that he tested positive for COVID-19. Read more here.The Rays have placed outfielder Austin Meadows on the injured list as a result of a positive COVID-19 test, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. Read more here.JULY 15The Astros have placed reliever Joe Smith on the restricted list, Mark Berman of FOX 26 reports on Twitter. Smith has not yet reported to camp, citing health and safety concerns relating to his family, though it is not yet clear whether he will formally opt out of the season. Read more here.Once a player opts out of the 2020 campaign, he’s ineligible to play in the regular season or postseason, according to the rules laid out by MLB. That player would then simply step back into the remainder of his contract situation (or enter free agency) at the conclusion of this season. That said, there is a notable carve-out for those players that are deemed personally “high-risk” for coronavirus infection. Such players — who receive salary and service time even if they opt out — are permitted to submit a request to return. Read more here.Yankees relievers Adam Ottavino and Chad Green expressed their displeasure with the new extra-inning rule of starting with a runner a second base. Read more here.Twins slugger Miguel Sano has been cleared to rejoin the club’s summer camp, per a team announcement. He had previously tested positive for COVID-19. Read more here.Umpires Bill Miller and Doug Eddings elected to wear the masks provided to them by Giants skipper Gabe Kapler during a simulated game played this week by the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Read more here.Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander missed the start of Spring Training 2.0 due to testing positive for the coronavirus. "Now I'm healthy and not contagious," Santander said, per ESPN. Read more here.While the season will more than likely take place, there’s growing concern over the 2021 campaign. White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf is now sounding the alarm over the possibility of a work stoppage next season, telling Bob Nightengale of USA Today that he's "very worried about next year." Read more here.JULY 14Eleven MLB umps have exercised their right to opt out of (or otherwise decided not to participate in) the 2020 season, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports on Twitter. Read more here.Astros star George Springer's COVID-19 test results have been delayed, and the Astros decided to cancel Tuesday's workout as a result. Read more here.Pat Loeb of KYW News Radio  reported that Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney is banning large outdoor gatherings through the end of next February due to the worsening coronavirus pandemic. That order includes organizations such as the Philadelphia Phillies and Philadelphia Eagles. Read more here.JULY 13While the league has certain protocols in place to keep players safe, New York Yankees outfielder Clint Frazier says he may wear a mask during at-bats in order to ensure that he is protecting himself and teammates from COVID-19 spreading. "I'm just trying to show that it's easy to do and it's the right thing to do," Frazier said. "If it helps a little bit, it's not hard to do, so I'm going to try to do it as much as I can. Hopefully, someone sees it and maybe they do it, too." Read more here. St. Louis Cardinals flamethrower Jordan Hicks has become the latest MLB player to decline to play in 2020. The team announced Monday that Hicks has opted out of the 2020 season, citing “pre-existing health concerns.” Read more here.Outfielder Charlie Blackmon arrived at Coors Field on Monday for summer camp, Nick Groke of The Athletic tweeted. It’s an especially notable and encouraging development after Blackmon tested positive for the coronavirus three weeks ago. Read more here.Angels manager Joe Maddon confirmed the league is considering having some umpiring crews travel on team flights this year, via The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya. If having those who umpire the games travel with teams means less possible exposure, that is something the league will consider, despite the obvious conflict of interest. Read more here.JULY 12We now know why Kenley Jansen was late to Dodgers camp. Jansen revealed he tested positive for COVID-19. Jansen said he had had a fever but never had any intention of skipping the season and expects to be ready to go on Opening Day. Read more here.JULY 11The Kansas City Royals announced that catcher Cam Gallagher has tested positive for COVID-19. In his own statement, Gallagher said the diagnosis surprised him. Read more here.Yankees manager Aaron Boone announced that Aroldis Chapman tested positive for COVID-19. He is experiencing mild symptoms and will be out indefinitely. Read more here.Another Diamondbacks player has tested positive for COVID-19. Manager Torey Lovullo did not reveal the player's identity to reporters, but he did say the individual in question is on the 40-man roster. Read more here.JULY 10Giants star Buster Posey met with the media in Northern California Friday morning and announced his decision to opt out of the 2020 season. He becomes the 10th player to opt out. According to reports, Posey and his wife recently adopted twin girls who were born prematurely. The safety of his children is Posey's No. 1 concern as the pandemic continues to surge across the U.S. Read more here.MLB and the MLB Players Association announced that 58 players and eight staff members tested positive for the coronavirus in the final round of the intake screening process. Read more here.Rangers All-Star outfielder Joey Gallo returned to club training sessions on Friday after providing a second negative coronavirus test result. Read more here.White Sox pitcher Michael Kopech has opted out of the season. The team announced his decision, but did not provide reasoning behind it. Read more here.JULY 9Tigers lefty Daniel Norris is away from summer camp pursuant to the coronavirus protocols, Chris McCosky of the Detroit News reports on Twitter. It is not clear whether he has personally tested positive for an infection. Read more here.The Mets announced Wednesday that they will put cardboard cutouts all around the stadium at Citi Field. Better yet, fans who renew their 2021 season tickets can get a personalized cutout of themselves and it will be placed around the stadium during games. Read more here.Pirates hurler Hector Noesi has opted out of participation in the 2020 season, top relief pitcher Keone Kela still has not appeared at camp, manager Derek Shelton told reporters. The organization has not provided further information on Kela's absence. Read more here.

Here is what the NHL has been doing over the past couple of weeks to prepare for he league's resumption:JULY 30The American Hockey League, the NHL's primary developmental league, has announced a tentative start date for the 2020-21 campaign amid the coronavirus pandemic: Dec. 4. Read more here.JULY 29The 2019-20 NHL season is set to resume this weekend in Edmonton and Toronto, but it appears a majority of coaches polled would've rather played somewhere else. According to a poll of coaches conducted by The Athletic, NHL coaches would've rather played in either Las Vegas or Vancouver. Read more here.JULY 27The league announced Monday that zero players have tested positive for COVID-19 among the 4,256 tests administered to more than 800 players from July 18-25. Read more here.JULY 25Corey Crawford’s absence from the first 12 days of the Blackhawks' training camp came as a surprise, and the team was only able to provide the "unfit to play" designation. Crawford himself revealed the reason, telling reporters that he tested positive for COVID-19.  As a result, he had to spend the last couple of weeks in self-quarantine. Read more here.JULY 24Canadiens defenseman Brett Kulak and Senators center Jayce Hawryluk confirmed that they tested positive for COVID-19. They are both healthy and with their respective teams now. Read more here.Neither NHL commissioner Gary Bettman nor deputy commissioner Bill Daly will be at the bubble sites in Edmonton and Toronto for the resumption of the 2019-20 season completed amid the coronavirus pandemic. Per ESPN's Greg Wyshynski, Bettman explained that they won't be in Canada on Aug. 1 because the current border closure requires that individuals entering the country from the United States must quarantine and self-isolate for 14 days. Read more here.JULY 23Xavier Ouellet  of the Montreal Canadiens confirmed to reporters that he tested positive, though his diagnosis came with plenty of confusion. Ouellet first tested negative when he arrived at training camp, before then testing positive and going into quarantine. He never experienced any symptoms and then subsequently tested negative multiple times to be allowed to rejoin the group. The defenseman isn’t even sure if he ever actually had the virus, though did confirm to Lu that a blood test confirmed antibodies. Winnipeg Jets defenseman  Anthony Bitetto meanwhile tested positive on June 24, according to team reporter Mitchell Clinton. Read more here.JULY 22Oilers GM Ken Holland told reporters that the team will take Philip Broberg into the Phase 4 bubble instead of returning him to his Swedish club. The initial plan was for Broberg, the team's 2019 first-round pick, to only participate in Phase 3 before joining Skelleftea in the SHL for their own training camp. Read more here.JULY 21The St. Louis Blues will have Ivan Barbashev in the lineup when they start their round-robin games in Edmonton, but they will lose him soon after. Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Barbashev will leave after one or two games for the birth of his child. Read more here.Montreal Canadiens center Max Domi will participate in the NHL restart held amid the coronavirus pandemic even though he is a high risk for COVID-19 because he has type 1 diabetes and celiac disease. Read more here.JULY 20The league announced that only two players tested positive for the coronavirus during the first week of Phase 3 training camps. Both players are unidentified and are self-isolating. The NHL administered 2,168 tests to over 800 players during the first five days of training camp. Read more here.JULY 19After an inconclusive COVID-19 test and being forced to sit out Saturday’s practice, Boston Bruins’ Charlie Coyle looks like he will be fine. The forward followed the inconclusive test with a negative test, according to The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa, who spoke with Coyle’s agent. Read more here.JULY 17The Bruins have put David Pastrnak in quarantine after he was directly exposed to someone with COVID-19. Although, Pastrnak himself has tested negative for COVID-19, per The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa. Read more here.JULY 14The Capitals will be in the round-robin seeding portion of the 24-team NHL resumption  inside the Eastern Conference bubble site in Toronto on Aug. 8, the same day Washington forward Lars Eller and his wife expect to welcome their second child into the world. As ESPN's Greg Wyshynski wrote, Eller told reporters on Tuesday that he'll temporarily leave the bubble for the birth. Read more here.The NHL has announced the schedule for exhibition and qualifying games. A tripleheader starts things off on July 28. The Penguins and Flyers will resume hockey's battle over Pennsylvania bragging rights under unique circumstances. The bubble site hosts, the Toronto Maple Leafs, will face the Montreal Canadiens. Western Conference hub hosts the Edmonton Oilers will take on the Calgary Flames in the nightcap. Check out the rest of the games here.JULY 13The Pittsburgh Penguins announced that nine players are currently sidelined after they were exposed to somebody who tested positive for COVID-19. The Penguins are scheduled to travel to the temporary hub site in Toronto on July 26. Read more here.The Florida Panthers will be without assistant coach  Mike Kitchen for the return to play program, announcing that he has opted out. Read more here.Over the weekend, The Athletic's Arpon Basu reported that at least three Canadiens players recently tested positive for the coronavirus ahead of Montreal's start of training camp sessions on Monday. On Monday, however, Basu added that the Canadiens believe two of those tests produced "false positives." It's not known if the two individuals skated with teammates on Monday. Read more here.Blackhawks veteran goaltender Corey Crawford missed the opening day of training camp after he was ruled "unfit to play or to participate," per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN). It's not known if his unavailability is due to the coronavirus, as teams are not allowed to announce positive test results. Read more here. The NHL announced in an official statement that 43 players tested positive for the coronavirus during Phase 2 of the league's return-to-play format. According to Brandon Maron of The Score, seven players taking part in Phase 2 tested positive in the last week. Read more here.Bruins defenseman Steven Kampfer took to Twitter to state that he has opted out of the season's return. The veteran revealed that his wife and son suffer from a congenital heart defect that can be complicated by the effects of COVID-19. For that reason, he decided that no one can fault him for to put his family’s health and safety first. Read more here.JULY 12Canadiens forward Max Domi is still deciding on whether or not to participate in the league's return, the team announced in a statement, specifying that he will take 7-10 days to decide. Domi has Type-1 Diabetes and Celiac disease, which could put him more at risk of COVID-19. Read more here.Edmonton defenseman Mike Green has opted out of the season. In a statement, the four-time All-Star cited "deeply personal family health reasons" behind his decision to sit out. Read more here. JULY 11Flames defenseman Travis Hamonic is opting out of the NHL's resumption, which he announced in a statement through his agency, Titan Sports 365. Hamonic's daughter has had a previous battle with a life-threatening respiratory virus, and he has a new baby boy as well, so he is erring on the side of caution. Read more here.Canucks winger Sven Baertschi was expected to be among the team's list of nine recalls for its qualifying-round series vs. Minnesota, but that won’t be the case .  He has informed the team that he has opted out of returning, reports Rick Dhaliwal of TSN 1040 and The Athletic. Read more here.JULY 10The NHL and NHLPA have announced that the two sides have officially approved the return-to-play plan as well as a four-year extension to the CBA. Read more here.Three U.S. National Team Development Program players have tested positive for COVID-19, according to Katie Strang and Craig Custance of The Athletic. The results throw the viability of holding the World Junior Summer Showcase later this month into question. Read more here.The NHL will begin announcing award finalists on Tuesday, July 14, per the Philadelphia Inquirer's Sam Carchidi. The league will begin with the Ted Lindsay Award, which is given to the league's "most outstanding player in the regular season." Read more here.JULY 8The NHLPA Executive Board voted on and approved the CBA extension. Included in that vote was approval for all return to play protocols as well. This now moves to the full NHLPA membership to vote on. A simple majority is required to pass the deal, and it’s fully expected to be approved. Read more here.The Bruins sent an email to season ticket holders asking fans to submit virtual cheers, chants, celebrations and booing to be featured in playoff games, according to SB Nation's Stanley Cup of Chowder. Read more here.An outbreak at Edmonton’s Misericordia Hospital has killed three patients, infected 20 other patients and affected at least 15 staff members. Despite the outbreak, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly responded to the news by saying that these events won't affect the league's schedule as of right now, per Hockey News Editor in Chief Jason Kay. Read more here.The NHL has set key dates for its season. The NHL hopes to complete the 24-team model to finish the 2019-20 season by crowning a Stanley Cup champion no later than Oct. 2, per Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. The Final gets underway Sept. 20, which means only one day off will separate fixtures. Read more here.JULY 7The NHL plans to play three games per day at each bubble site, for a total of six contests a day, per TSN’s Bob McKenzie. These games will be held at the same times (12 p.m., 4 p.m., and 8 p.m.) but offset by the two-hour time difference local time Read more here.JULY 6The NHL announced that the league and NHL Players' Association reached a tentative agreement to return to play on Aug. 1 to crown a champion for the 2019-20 season amid the coronavirus pandemic. Under this deal, training camps will begin on July 13. Players and team personnel will travel to the bubble sites in Edmonton and Toronto on July 26. Pucks will be dropped for qualifying round games on Aug. 1. Read more here.The NHL updated its weekly COVID-19 reporting, sharing that a total of 35 players have now tested positive for the virus. It remains to be seen if any NHL players will opt out as the league attempts its return to play. Read more here.Michael Russo of The Athletic, Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports and Andrew Gross of Newsday all report that once the CBA extension has been ratified, players will be allowed to sign their entry-level contracts this summer to burn the first year but will not be eligible to play. Read more here.JULY 4The NHL and NHLPA are already discussing the 2020-21 season. The NHL is focused on having a full, 82-game campaign next season despite a delayed start (in December or January), per TSN's Pierre LeBrun. Read more here.Despite an uptick in COVID-19 cases that has caused teams to temporarily shut down their facilities, deputy commissioner Billy Daly is still confident in the league's resumption plans. "We think the enhanced structure and precautions that will be in place once we reach the training camp phase will actually create safer conditions for players and staff," Daly said. "And we think the Hub City Protocol will make it even safer still." Read more here.JULY 3The NHL released a "tentative" schedule for its return plan. Training camp are set to begin July 13, teams arrive at hub cities around July 26, the qualifying round begins Aug. 1, draft lottery part two around Aug. 10, Stanley Cup Final in early October, the drat in mid-October and free agency starts Nov. 1. While the dates are tentatively set, the NHL still needs to figure out its collective bargaining agreement with the NHLPA. Read more here.The St. Louis Blues are shutting down their practice facility after multiple players tested positive for COVID-19, according to Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic, who notes that approximately two-thirds of the team is in town as part of the second phase of the league's Return to Play protocols. Read more here.JULY 2We now at least have an idea of when the free agency period will begin. TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports that the agreement to extend expiring contracts runs through Oct. 31st, which means that the league is targeting Nov. 1 as the beginning of the 2020-21 calendar, which would also serve as the opening day of free agency. Read more here.JULY 1While the NHL season still is on pause due to the coronavirus pandemic, some players still are waiting to be paid, but it seems they won't have to wait much longer. According to ESPN's Emily Kaplan, NHL players who are due signing bonuses on July 1 will be paid as scheduled. There's more than $300 million due to players across the league. Read more here.On the heels of Law Vegas falling out of favor with the league to be one of the hub cities, the NHL has now made its final decisions on where games will be played. According to TSN's Bob McKenzie, the two NHL hub cities will be Edmonton and Toronto. This, of course, means that Western Conference teams will play in Edmonton and Eastern Conference teams will be competing in Toronto. Read more here.JUNE 30NHL players might be more concerned about returning to play than they’ve let on, reports Sportsnet’s Eric Engels. Players are concerned for their safety and frustrated with the lack of transparency and attention being paid to those details in their discussions with NHLPA representatives. Read more here.Although Las Vegas has long been the front-runner to be one of the NHL's hub cities, that appears to no longer be the case. TSN's Frank Seravalli reported that coronavirus spikes in the Vegas area have the NHL reconsidering the city. Instead, the league could leave the United States out of the mix and pick Edmonton and Toronto. Read more here.JUNE 29The Red Wings and NHL announced the cancellation of the 2020 NHL Prospect Tournament. The eight-team tournament typically takes place in September in Traverse City, Michigan, to showcase some of the game’s top young talent. Last year’s participants were the Stars, Blackhawks, Wild, Red Wings, Rangers, Blues, Blue Jackets and Maple Leafs. Read more here.The NHL has released a statement that 15 players tested positive for COVID-19 after reporting to training camp. More than 1,450 total tests were administered to the 250-plus players in camp. These tests have all been administered following the start of Phase 2 of the return to play initiative, which began on June 8. What’s more, 11 additional players have tested positive for coronavirus outside of NHL training camps. All players who tested positive have been quarantined. Read more here.JUNE 26The NHL salary cap rising within the next three seasons doesn't sound so promising amid the coronavirus pandemic. The league and players' association are working to get a deal done that would extend the current CBA. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported  that "as part of the agreement, the salary cap will be kept close to the current $81.5 million for the next three seasons. There is potential for it to go up $1 million in 2022-23." Read more here.NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly confirmed Thursday that the league has no plans to put players in quarantine "bubbles" when training camps open July 10, according to The Canadian Press. Read more here.JUNE 22A veteran player in the Western Conference told The Athletic, according to ESPN, that "guys are not happy. This is why we better have a full player vote and not just an executive board vote. But I'm not convinced (NHLPA executive director) Don (Fehr) is going to allow that because he knows there's so many of us on the fence. That's why I think the league was trying to be hush-hush on these positive tests. In my opinion, no way we play." Read more here.While the NHL has entered Phase 2 of its return-to-play plan, the league also announced the date for Phase 1 of the draft lottery. Phase 1 of the 2020 draft lottery will take place on Friday and be broadcast live on NBCSN and NHL Network at 8 p.m. ET, the league announced in a press release on Monday. Read more here.JUNE 20Despite the surge of positive COVID-19 tests around the league, the NHL is not planning to change the start date for Phase 3. Michael Russo and James Mirtle of The Athletic report the league is still planning to open training camps on July 10. It seems the NHL will not be swayed by 11 positive tests. Read more here.We know now the date for the start of the qualifying rounds. According to the Larry Brooks of the New York Post, the playoffs will begin with the qualifying rounds on July 30, which is Phase 4 for the league's return-to-play plan. Phase 3 is set to start July 10 and will end with teams traveling to hub cities around July 24. 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 closed 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 17BAUER 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.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.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 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.

The latest from the world of golf since competition resumed:JULY 29Roughly two weeks after PGA commissioner Jay Monahan  suggested the U.S. Open in Mamaroneck, New York could welcome fans, USGA CEO Mike Davis announced in an official statement that the 120th edition of the tournament held at Winged Foot Golf Club from Sept. 17-20 will happen behind closed doors. Read more here.JULY 19Golf legend Jack Nicklaus revealed that he and his wife, Barbara, battled COVID-19 earlier this year, per Golf Digest's Brian Wacker. Barbara did not experience symptoms, while the 80-year-old Nicklaus said he had a sore throat and a cough but was not symptomatic for very long. Read more here.JULY 15The 2020-21 season is scheduled to begin in September, and PGA commissioner Jay Monahan remained open to fans potentially attending at least a couple of tournaments before the new year while touching upon the subject on Wednesday, per ESPN's Mike Wells. Read more here.JULY 14After nearly five months away, Tiger Woods is set to return to the PGA Tour when he competes at the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio. Why didn't Woods decide to come back earlier, like many other golfers did? The 15-time major winner says he wanted to make sure he felt safe and comfortable before officially returning. Read more here.JULY 13The remainder of the 2019-20 PGA Tour season will finish without fans attending tournaments due to the worsening coronavirus pandemic, the PGA announced. Read more here.JULY 9The PGA Tour announced the 2020 World Golf Championships-FedEx St. Jude Invitational held at TPC Southwind in Memphis will occur July 30-Aug. 2 as scheduled but without spectators in attendance due to the worsening coronavirus pandemic. Read more here.JULY 7The PGA of America is planning to announce that the Ryder Cup (scheduled to occur at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin this September) is postponed until 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic, per ESPN's Bob Harig. Read more here.JULY 6The Jack Nicklaus Memorial Tournament held at the Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio from July 16-19 will not welcome spectators as hoped amid the coronavirus pandemic. Read more here.JULY 3PGA Tour golfer Cameron Champ isn't convinced he had the coronavirus when he withdrew from the Travelers Championship last week. Champ says that even though he tested positive ahead of the Travelers Championship, that it probably was a false positive. "Through the specialist that we worked with, at this point it's clear that I never had it,'' Champ said, according to Yahoo Sports. ''Still being precautious because if I happen to do get it, then it affects my family deeply.'' Read more here.JUNE 29Harris English withdrew from the Rocket Mortgage Classic held in Detroit after he became the fifth PGA Tour player to test positive for the coronavirus. English did not play in last week's Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Hartford, Conn., but he tested positive on Monday upon his arrival to Detroit. Read more here.JUNE 27The PGA Tour has announced a major change to one of its safety policies in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak among golfers. The new rule prohibits players from coming on property while waiting for their first test results in a new city, according to ESPN's Nick Pietruszkiewicz. Starting next week, all who are considered to be "inside the bubble" will need a negative test result before being allowed on the course. This includes players, caddies, instructors, doctors and other various staff members. The Tour previously allowed players and caddies to come on site while awaiting their coronavirus test results. Read more here.JUNE 26"At least one player, possibly two, tested have positive for COVID-19 at the Travelers Championship," reported Brian Wacker of Golf Digest. It’s not yet known which player(s) tested positive for the virus. Read more here.Denny McCarthy then withdrew from the Travelers Championship held at TPC River Highlands in Hartford after he became the third PGA Tour player confirmed to test positive for the coronavirus. Read more here.JUNE 24Graeme McDowell is set to withdraw from the Travelers Championship on Wednesday following the news that his caddie has tested positive for the coronavirus. McDowell's caddie, Ken Comboy, believes he may have been exposed to the virus after the Charles Schwab Challenge two weeks ago when he was forced to fly in a full commercial flight to Orlando because his private plane was too small for his traveling party. Read more here.Brooks Koepka is withdrawing from this week's Travelers Championship as well after his caddie, Ricky Elliott, tested positive for the coronavirus, the golfer told Golfweek's Eamon Lynch. Elliott previously tested negative for the virus on Monday but received his positive diagnosis after a test Wednesday morning at TPC River Highlands. Read more here.PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan confirmed that Webb Simpson and Chase Koepka added their names to the list of players who pulled out from this week's Travelers Championship held at TPC River Highlands in Hartford, Conn. due to COVID-19 concerns. Monahan explained that Chase Koepka and Simpson both produced negative on-site tests but withdrew out of caution. Read more here.JUNE 23The PGA Tour has confirmed its second positive COVID-19 test since resuming its season amid the pandemic this month. The PGA announced that Cameron Champ withdrew from the Travelers Championship held at TPC River Highlands in Hartford, Conn., after he recorded a positive test. Read more here.JUNE 22The PGA Tour confirmed that the PGA Championship would go down at San Francisco's Harding Park without spectators because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The first major championship of the season won't be moved from Harding Park even though the Tour strongly considered relocating the tournament so that a percentage of spectators could watch the action in person. Instead, the PGA Championship, postponed from May 14-17 to Aug. 6-9, will take place on the West Coast as planned. Read more here.The Ryder Cup — originally scheduled to take place this September at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin — likley will be postponed to 2021, according to Ewan Murray of The Guardian. Murray adds that the PGA of America and the European Tour, which both chair the Ryder Cup, won't consider holding the competition without fans on the course. 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.

What's the latest from the world of NASCAR:JULY 16Over 20,000 fans were in attendance at Wednesday night's NASCAR All-Star Race at Bristol Motor Speedway to watch fan-favorite Chase Elliott pull off another win. The event is believed to have the highest attendance of any sporting event in America since the pandemic began. Read more here.JULY 10Jimmie Johnson was forced to miss a race for the first time in his career following a positive coronavirus test, and he expressed his confusion with the whole situation, as he never had any symptoms and tested negative just three days later. "My first response was just anger. I started cussing and used every cuss word that I knew of and I think invented a few new ones," Johnson said. "It was just so weird — the anger — because I've been asymptomatic. Anger hits. Read more here.JULY 8After testing positive for COVID-19 last week and missing the Brickyard 400, seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson will return to the track. The 44-year-old tested negative for the coronavirus twice, according to the Associated Press, and has been cleared to race at Kentucky Speedway. Read more here.JULY 3NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson announced in a statement that he has tested positive for COVID-19. As a result, he will miss Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “My first priority is the health and safety of my loved ones and my teammates,” Johnson said in a statement. “I’ve never missed a race in my Cup career." Read more here.JUNE 30The pandemic has forced NASCAR to cancel Champions Week and the 2020 Cup Series Awards, originally scheduled for early December in Nashville. 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.

The most recent news from the NCAA:JULY 30Notre Dame will partner with the ACC for the upcoming college football season but according to the school's athletic director, the decision was made due to the coronavirus pandemic rather than "Notre Dame's long-term assessment of independence." Read more here.Sept. 5. is likely the opening date for the Big Ten season and that a full schedule could be out before Sunday. Read more here.The Sec will begin a 10-game conference-only slate that kicks off on Sept. 26. Winners of the two divisions will meet for the SEC Championship Game on Dec. 19. Read more here.The Big 12 announced it's canceling its virtual media day scheduled for Aug. 3. Read more here.The NCAA Board of Governors is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, Aug. 4, to discuss how and if college sports are possible with coronavirus cases rising throughout the U.S. One of the options is canceling fall sports. Read more here.JULY 29Penn State athletics confirmed that at least eight student-athletes returned positive coronavirus results during the university's latest testing round. PSU completed 466 tests among student-athletes as of July 24. Results of 66 of those tests were unknown as of Wednesday afternoon. Staff members weren't included in this testing data. Read more here.Virginia Tech cornerback Caleb Farley has elected to skip any version of a college football season held amid the coronavirus pandemic so he can prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft. Read more here.The NCAA’s withdrawal deadline for players to pull out of the 2020 draft class is August 3. However, the NBA is allowing early entrants to declare up until August 17, since the draft itself has been postponed until October. As a result, an NCAA underclassman who is struggling with his decision could withdraw by August 3, then re-enter by August 17 if he has change of heart. At that point, he’d be forgoing his remaining college eligibility, but it would essentially give him an extra two weeks to make up his mind. Read more here.The ACC has finalized its model for the football season, which includes 10 in-conference games and one nonconference game. Notre Dame will also play under these league rules and, thus, will be eligible to compete in the ACC Championship Game. Read more here.JULY 28Stadium's Brett McMurphy reported if Ohio State can have football fans, they will be required to wear masks and the stadium capacity will likely be limited to 20 percent. Read more here.The Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball program halted workouts for 14 days following a pair of coronavirus test results among players. Read more here.The Arizona Wildcats football program has suspended redshirt junior offensive lineman Edgar Burrola after he failed to follow COVID-19 protocols. According to Michael Lev of Tucson.com, Burrola was resistant to adhering to protocols like using a mask and distancing. That led to fears within the program that, without taking action, it could end up having to quarantine everyone like Michigan State and Rutgers were forced to do after outbreaks within their programs. Read more here.The NCAA has granted all major college football programs the right to start their seasons on Aug. 29, also known as "Week Zero," per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN). Teams previously not scheduled to play in August were set to open campaigns over Labor Day weekend. Read more here.JULY 27Michigan State announced that 16 student-athletes and four staff members tested positive for COVID-19 in the school's latest round of testing. ESPN's Adam Rittenberg reported that 122 student-athletes, as well as other personnel, were tested over the last week. All MSU athletes who test positive, as well as those who have contact with infected individuals, must quarantine for two weeks. Read more here.JULY 25The entire Rutgers football program is quarantining for 14 days after learning of six positive COVID-19 results in its latest weekly testing cycle.  The Rutgers news comes just one day after Michigan State was forced to enact the same protocol. Read more here.The Oklahoma Sooners football team announced that they have moved up the date of their first game of the season. Oklahoma and Missouri State have agreed to play on Aug. 29, which is a week earlier than they initially planned to play. The reason they bumped up the game is to allow for as much flexibility as possible regarding their season as they navigate the issues related to the coronavirus. Read more here.JULY 24In stunning news, the Michigan State football program announced Friday that the entire team will quarantine for 14 days. This news comes on the heels of Thursday’s announcement that workouts had been suspended following a positive COVID-19 test. Read more here.The NCAA has announced the body will not cancel college football or other fall sports, or make a decision on championships before the end of July, saying the situation will be revisited in August. Read more here.JULY 23The Pac-12 announced recently that it will play a conference-only football schedule in 2020, and we now know that the start of the season will be a bit delayed. According to Jon Wilner of The Mercury News, the Pac-12 is preparing for teams to play 10-game schedules beginning on Sept 19. Read more here.The ACC is coming up with plans for a modified college football schedule this fall. According to Yahoo’s Pete Thamel, the ACC is considering an 11-game schedule. The schedule would include 10 conference games and one nonconference game, and it would not start on time. Read more here.JULY 22New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham sent a letter to New Mexico and New Mexico State asking them to suspend their football seasons, according to Geoff Grammar of the Albuquerque Journal. In her letter, Lujan Grisham cited the rising number of coronavirus cases in the state among young people ages 20-39. Read more here.Toledo head football coach Jason Candle confirmed that he recently tested positive for the coronavirus. Candle will self-isolate until he returns negative coronavirus test results and is cleared to rejoin team sessions. Read more here.The Pac-12 announced its annual China basketball game has been canceled this year due to the pandemic. The Washington Huskies and Tulane Green Wave were scheduled to meet in China this November. Read more here.JULY 21New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared that spectators can't attend collegiate fall sports competitions in the state if seasons begin in that state amid the worsening coronavirus pandemic. Cuomo did, however, give the go-ahead for games to occur and air on television and radio. Read more here.Jack Swarbrick, who has been Notre Dame’s AD since 2008, wants the college football season to begin later than scheduled. “The value of starting later is you really get to see how your university has done. You have the benefit of all of that information and knowledge, and so I’d like to start a little later,” Swarbrick told ESPN’s Heather Dinich. Read more here.JULY 20ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Monday that his NFL sources have told him “several star players could sit out the collegiate season.” Read more here.The Pac-12 postponed football media days "until further notice" and announced a later date for media availability will be determined. Read more here.The Texas Longhorns are preparing for a football season that will include fans at home games. Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte emailed season ticket holders and said that Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium may be filled up to 50% capacity for contests, per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN). Read more here.Auburn will need a new opponent for Week 1 of the college football season now that the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) announced that it is postponing all fall sports. The Tigers were scheduled to host Alcorn State on Saturday, Sept. 5 to begin their season. That game will not be happening. Read more here.JULY 18Gary Stokan, President and CEO of the Chick-Fil-A Bowl and the annual Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game tweeted he heard a Notre Dame-Alabama Week 1 matchup has been "floated" as a possibility. Read more here.Kirk Herbstreit said he would be “surprised” to see the entire college football season canceled, believing instead that schools and conferences will simply keep postponing things if it comes to that. Read more here.JULY 17The America East Conference and Atlantic 10 Conference became the latest collegiate bodies to cancel fall sports due to the worsening coronavirus pandemic. Read more here.The Indiana Hoosiers football team has paused workouts after six individuals tested positive for COVID-19. As ESPN's Tom VanHaaren wrote, this pause affects only the football program. Read more here.The SEC announced that student-athletes on scholarships who don't wish to participate in seasons amid the worsening coronavirus pandemic will have those scholarships honored by member universities. Read more here.JULY 16NCAA president Mark Emmert is questioning whether there will be fall sports at all, saying in an official statement: "Today, sadly, the data point in the wrong direction. If there is to be college sports in the fall, we need to get a much better handle on the pandemic." Read more here.The Colonial Athletic Association is expected to cancel the 2020 college football season, per The Athletic's Bruce Feldman. Read more here.The Horizon League confirmed that all fall sports competitions within the conference are suspended through the end of September, at least, due to the worsening coronavirus pandemic. Read more here.The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference announced it has indefinitely suspended all fall sports. The MEAC added that no decision has been made on potentially moving the fall sports calendar to next spring. Read more here.UNC football head coach Mack Brown is frustrated with the NCAA, telling Paul Finebaum: "I really wish we’d have a commissioner of college football. We wouldn’t have different leagues doing different things and so much uncertainty." Read more here.JULY 15The University of Michigan has announced there will be no season tickets for the upcoming college football season. The school announced that all season tickets will be put on pause until next year, meaning that fans won't have to risk their safety just to hold onto their season tickets. If games are allowed to be played in front of fans at all, season-ticket holders will have an opportunity to buy tickets to the game and no tickets will go on sale to the general public. Read more here.LSU coach Ed Orgeron says that America needs football more than ever and that it absolutely should not be canceled. "We need to play. This state needs it; this country needs it," Orgeron said. Read more here.Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly doesn’t expect the coronavirus to stop college football players from taking the field. During an interview on ESPN’s “Get Up”, Kelly essentially guaranteed a 2020 college football season, only noting that it was a question of when the games will take place. Read more here.Wearing masks has become a controversial subject. However, Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz has one simple request for fans: wear masks. Per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN), Drinkwitz believes wearing masks can help save the 2020 college football season, which is now in doubt. Read more here.The Rose Bowl Game remains on the college football schedule even though the 2021 Rose Bowl Parade is now canceled due to the uncontrolled virus outbreak, via ESPN's Andrea Adelson. Read more here.Although  the Pac-12 and Big Ten announced that they were going to conference-only schedules, the SEC might not follow suit. Despite league commissioner Greg Sankey saying they need health trends related to the coronavirus to improve, he says they are still considering a full schedule for football. Sankey told Adam Schein that a full schedule was on the table during an interview on SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Sports Radio. Read more here.JULY 14Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley is holding on to any glimmer of hope for college football, even if it means pushing games back to early 2021. "I just can't imagine a scenario (where we don't play)," Riley said. "Whether it's something we do in the fall, whether it's a shortened season, whether it's spring, there's nothing we should take off the table." Read more here.Per an official statement, the SEC postponed volleyball, soccer and cross country competitions through the end of August. Read more here.Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin told reporters that he's recovered after testing positive for the coronavirus last month. Per ESPN's Andrea Adelson, Stricklin explained that he dealt with mild symptoms and quarantined for 10 days. Additionally, Stricklin was non-committal when speaking about college football and other fall sports starting and completing seasons as scheduled. "Right now, there's no way of really knowing." Read more here. JULY 13The Patriot League has announced that it will be cancel fall sports, with a decision on winter sports being made at a later time. The U.S. Military Academy and Naval Academy are exempt from the cancellation, and their superintendents will be responsible for making any decisions in regard to competitive sports. Read more here.Navy athletic director Chet Gladchuk is committed to continuing the tradition of his program facing Army, even this season. "If there's only one game we're going to play, it's the Army-Navy game. Unless the pandemic is such at the time that we're precluded by the city of Philadelphia to play that game, we have every intention of playing Army-Navy." Navy is scheduled to face Army at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field on Dec. 12. Read more here.Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard provided a look at how much revenue his school could lose this year. In an open letter, Pollard estimated that Iowa State's athletic department would incur approximately $40 million "in unfunded expenses in the next six months" if fall sports are canceled. Read more here.SEC commissioner Greg Sankey appeared on "The Paul Finebaum Show" and said, "time is an asset that's rapidly slipping away" regarding the college football season. Sankey is not yet ready to make a final determination when it comes to scheduling, saying that he will decide later this month. Read more here.JULY 12The 2020 JUCO football season is expected to be pushed to the spring, per The Athletic’s Max Olson. The decision comes after NJCAA president and CEO sided with the NJCAA’s presidential advisory council in their recent recommendation to move fall sports to next spring. For some of the top JUCO recruits in the 2020 class, this could lead to them transferring before the junior college football season begins. Read more here.The uncertainty surrounding the 2020 CFB season has some top players thinking ahead. Many top draft-eligible prospects could jump ship if fall sports are moved to next spring. Per The Athletic's Ben Standig, agents are talking to high-profile stars, and it now looks increasingly likely that multiple players could skip the season to prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft. Read more here.JULY 11The Maryland Terps football team has canceled voluntary workouts after nine of 158 student-athletes tested returned positive results. Despite this being about a 5% positive test rate, those in charge at Maryland decided canceling workouts made the most sense. Read more here.SEC commissioner Greg Sankey is now admitting football could be in jeopardy. During an interview on ESPN Radio’s "Marty & McGee," Sankey admitted that his concern for the upcoming football season is “high to very high.” Given SEC teams will open their schedules in the first week of September, he also admitted that the conference is running out of time to get things done. Read more here.Major conferences going to conference-only schedules leaves independents such as Notre Dame in a rough spot. Stadium's Brett McMurphy reports the ACC says that it will help the Fighting Irish schedule games. Notre Dame has six games scheduled in 2020 against ACC teams (Wake Forest, Pitt, Duke, Clemson, Georgia Tech and Louisville), but its other six games against teams whose conferences shifted to a conference-only schedule were canceled. Read more here.JULY 10UConn has reported zero positive COVID-19 results among 150 student-athletes tested since June 19. Read more here.The Pac-12 announced conference-only schedules for football and other fall sports. The conference also temporarily postponed mandatory athletic activities. Football, men’s and women’s soccer, and women’s volleyball are all affected by this announcement. Read more here.Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott has tested positive for the coronavirus. The conference released a statement about the situation, saying Scott got tested after experiencing mild flu-like symptoms. Scott is said to be self-quarantining while continuing to operate in his role as commissioner. Read more here.JULY 9A recent survey of all 130 FBS athletic directors was conducted by Stadium’s Brett McMurphy. Of the 130 ADs polled, 73 percent indicated they expect the 2020 college football season to be delayed. Even more alarming for Power 5 conference, only 22 percent of their athletic directors believe the season will start on schedule. Read more here.Division III’s Centennial Conference became the latest sports league to suspend sports this fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Centennial Conference, home to 11 programs, announced that it will suspend all sports for the remainder of the year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Read more here.Stanford announced it is cutting 11 varsity sports programs due to ramifications from the COVID-19 pandemic. The programs include men’s and women’s fencing, field hockey, lightweight rowing, men’s rowing, co-ed and women’s sailing, squash, synchronized swimming, men’s volleyball and wrestling. Read more here.The Big Ten conference has announced that fall sports will play conference-only games, if the seasons happen at all. Additionally, the Big Ten also added that member institutions will honor the scholarships of student-athletes who decide not to participate in their respective sports this season due to coronavirus-related concerns. Read more here.Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren told reporters he's "very concerned" about the outlook for the 2020 CFB season, via Peter Thamel of Yahoo Sports. Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith echoed those thoughts, also saying he's "very concerned" for the state of fall college sports, via ESPN Cleveland. Read more about Warren's thoughts here, and check out what else Smith said here.Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick is also skeptical about 2020 college football, telling ESPN's Heather Dinich it's "less likely" the season starts on time. Read more here.JULY 8The Ivy League has canceled football and all other fall sports, per CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein. No fall sports will be played until at least the start of the new year. The conference will provide an update on winter sports in "mid-July." Stadium's Brett McMurphy added that the Ivy League football campaign could be pushed back to the spring, or that the conference's next season may not begin until the fall of 2021. Read more here.Carnegie Mellon has decided to cancel fall sports. Athletic director Josh Centor told students in an email on Wednesday: "We cannot appropriately return to sport at this time." Read more here.Ohio State announced it is pausing voluntary workouts after positive COVID-19 tests. "Seven teams’ workouts are affected by this pause: men’s and women’s basketball, field hockey, football, men’s and women’s soccer and women’s volleyball," the statement read. It's not known when Ohio State intends to resume training sessions. Read more here.JULY 7Stadium's Brett McMurphy tweeted that zero of the 103 Notre Dame football players tested returned positive results last week. To date, only one player has tested positive, while the school has accumulated 251 negative tests among personnel. Read more here.JULY 6Fordham’s athletic department announced that it is canceling its game against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors. The matchup was scheduled to take place on Sept. 12 at Aloha Stadium. Read more here.JULY 5As uncertainty grows regarding the 2020 college football season, there is "increased momentum" to delay the campaign until the spring, per New York Post's Howie Kussoy and Zach Braziller, who reported that one Power Five athletic director said: "What's most sensible is the spring." Read more here.JULY 4Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott is no longer feeling optimistic about the 2020 CFB season. "I think the situation’s a lot more perilous than it was a few weeks ago," Scott said, via the NCAA. The U.S. is currently seeing a massive spike in several areas of the country, most notably Florida, California and Arizona. Read more here.JULY 3Kansas’ athletic department announced Friday that it is suspending voluntary workouts for the football team indefinitely after 12 players tested positive for COVID-19. In the statement, the university said it will require every football player and staff member to self-quarantine for 14 days, following the CDC’s guidelines for those in close contact with a person carrying the virus. Read more here.ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum continues to be pessimistic regarding the state of the 2020 college football season. Finebaum stated the chances of the season getting played is "below 50 percent." Read more here.JULY 2The administration for USC sent a letter to its student body earlier this week, recommending that students take classes online and avoid housing themselves on or near campus. The administration did leave open the possibility of low-density activities on campus. That could obviously include the Trojans football team, but for now, this is not great news as it relates to the 2020 college football season. Read more here.JULY 1New Iona basketball coach Rick Pitino tweeted some thoughts about the upcoming CBB campaign, urging the NCAA to delay the start of 2020 CBB season until January. Additionally, he suggests team play only league games as an additional safety measure. As it relates to his ideas, Pitino said: "Although I can’t wait to be back on the sidelines, the health of my players and staff is what’s really important." Read more here.Rutgers president Jonathan Holloway is throwing cold water on the possibility of playing a college football season this year. Holloway spoke with NJ Advance Media’s Adam Clark and said: I think we are far from certain that we are going to have a college football season in the fall. Maybe in the spring, but even then we are just guessing right now." Read more here.As it pertains to spring college football, count Penn State athletic director Sandy Barbour among those who are against that idea. Per ESPN's Heather Dinich, Barbour said: "One of the biggest challenges [of a spring season] — and it's probably the biggest one in my mind — is the proximity to next season, and frankly a second lost spring ball." Read more here.Add Oklahoma Sooners football to the list of college teams experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak. Bruce Feldman from The Athletic reported there are 12 players who have active cases of the coronavirus, plus two others who have recovered. There’s also two cases among the coaching staff. Read more here.JUNE 30Earlier this week, a report emerged indicating that some universities have requested that football players and other student-athletes sign coronavirus-related waivers that exonerate schools if any COVID-19 claims are later filed, per Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Cory Booker introduced legislation on Tuesday to prohibit those waivers, per Ross Dellenger of Sports Illustrated. Read more here.JUNE 29Southeast Missouri and Dayton have announced that their matchup on Sept. 3 is canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the decision is mutual, Dayton cited challenges created by the pandemic as the reasoning to cancel the game. Specifically, the Flyers wouldn’t have enough time to prepare themselves for the season with practice time dramatically limited by the worsening pandemic. Read more here.JUNE 26Morehouse College will not have a football or cross country season this fall due to COVID-19 concerns, the school announced Friday. President David A. Thomas released a statement saying that the college will not compete in intercollegiate athletic competitions not only to keep athletes safe, but everyone else on campus as well. Read more here.Texas Tech University’s athletic department announced that it conducted 197 COVID-19 tests of football players and staff. The results determined that 23 members of the Red Raiders’ football program had the coronavirus. While the 23 cases is among the highest figures to be reported by colleges thus far, none of those with the virus have been hospitalized and 21 have recovered. Read more here.Clemson has announced that 14 additional football players have tested positive for COVID-19. That brings the total up to 37 cases. Read more here.JUNE 25As several schools have been forced to eliminate sports programs, Michigan might be next. Michigan, one of the most recognized schools in the U.S. and a powerhouse in athletics, estimates a $26.1 million budget deficit for the 2020-21 academic year. Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel is projecting a dire situation for the Wolverines, as he described to The Detroit News. It could become even worse if there is no college football season this year. Read more here.JUNE 24The University of Connecticut is officially eliminating four of its sports programs, becoming the latest school to make significant cuts from its athletics program amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The board made the cuts official, per the Hartford Courant’s Alexa Philippou, approving the new budget on Wednesday. As a result, the Huskies will eliminate their men’s cross country, men’s swimming and diving, men’s tennis and women’s rowing programs at the end of the 2020-21 academic year. Read more here.Penn State head coach James Franklin has announced that he will be isolating himself away from his family this season. Franklin told HBO's "Real Sports" that his family will remain in Florida while he coaches the Nittany Lions to protect his 12-year-old daughter, who suffers from sickle cell disease and is therefore considered a high-risk individual for COVID-19. Franklin is unlikely the only college coach to have an immediate family fall into that category. Perhaps other coaches will follow suit. Read more here.Regarding fan attendance, Tennessee athletic director Phillip Fulmer says he is "planning on a full stadium." As for his thinking, he believes it's easier to prepare for the high-end scenario and adjust down than the other way around. Read more here. JUNE 23Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, local health officials are urging Iowa State University to make a significant sacrifice this fall. The Story County Board of Health has asked Iowa State not to allow fans to attend any games, including football, this fall. As health officials described, according to to WeAreIowa.com, there is likely no way events with mass gatherings can be held and stay remotely safe for the general public. Read more here.The University of Florida has become the latest school to see a spike in the coronavirus, confirming that 11 student-athletes tested positive for COVID-19. Read more here.JUNE 20At least 30 LSU football players are now in quarantine due to a COVID-19 outbreak, according to Sports Illustrated's Ross Dellenger. The Athletic's Brody Miller reported that there are at least a dozen positive cases on the football team. Read more here.JUNE 19Clemson 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 18Colorado discovered two of its football players tested positive for COVID-19, reports Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic. Read more here.JUNE 17According 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.

Here is what has happened most recently in the world of tennis:JULY 30Ashleigh Barty, currently the no. 1-ranked women's tennis player in the world, announced that she will not participate in the U.S. Open next month due to safety concerns.  The 24-year-old Australian made the announcement, explaining that she felt uncomfortable about traveling in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Read more here.JULY 10Even though Wimbledon has been canceled, all qualified players still will get paid. The All England Lawn and Tennis Club, which hosts Wimbledon, announced Friday that it will pay prize money to all players that would have qualified for the canceled tournament, according to ESPN. Read more here.JULY 8Tennis star Novak Djokovic has become a very controversial character since his Adria Tour was held with thousands of spectators amid the coronavirus pandemic. Djokovic and his wife later tested positive, and so did other tour participants. Now he thinks the media has treated him unfairly. "It’s like an agenda and a witch-hunt are on," Djokovic told the Serbian newspaper, Sportski Zurnal, (h/t TMZ). Read more here.JULY 2Novak Djokovic and his wife have tested negative for coronavirus just 10 days after it was revealed the couple had tested positive. After testing positive, Djokovic and Jelena went into self-isolation, and before testing negative, the two had not shown any symptoms of COVID-19. The two tested positive shortly after Djokovic organized the Adria Tour, an exhibition held in Zadar, Croatia. Read more here.The French Open is planning to have fans in the stands, as the French Tennis Federation announced that over half the amount of usual fans will be allowed to attend the tournament. "The number of spectators allowed in the stadium will be 50%-60% of the usual capacity," the FFT said. "This reduction will allow strict distancing measures to be respected." Read more here.JUNE 24There is some drama in the tennis world in the wake of Novak Djokovic testing positive for the coronavirus. The world No. 1's father has accused Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov of causing the spike in COVID-19 cases that has seen both Novak and his wife, Jelena, infected. Dimitrov was the first player to test positive for COVID-19 after the second leg of Djokovic's exhibition tournament that began in Serbia before moving on to Croatia. Read more here.JUNE 23Novak Djokovic, the No. 1 tennis player in the world, tested positive for coronavirus shortly after organizing and participating in an "exhibition" in Croatia. Djokovic announced his wife had tested positive as well, explaining "the moment we arrived in Belgrade we went to be tested. My result is to positive." 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 Gov. 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.

Pro wrestling news over the past few weeks:JULY 30While professional sports commissioners and team owners frequently comment on financial losses amid the coronavirus pandemic, World Wrestling Entertainment enjoyed a fruitful second quarter of the economic year. Per Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer, WWE claimed during a Thursday earnings report that the promotion generated $43.8 million in profits for Q2. Read more here.JULY 20WWE legend Ric Flair has informed the New York Post that Wendy Barlow, his wife, has tested positive for the coronavirus. “My wife does [have the virus]… we live in a 5,000-square-foot home," Flair reportedly said. "I live in the basement. She lives upstairs on the third floor and she got sick.” Flair is considered high risk for the coronavirus because of his age and his medical history. Read more here.JULY 6PWInsider's Mike Johnson reported that WWE relocated SummerSlam and the accompanying editions of "Raw" and "SmackDown" to its Performance Center because of the uncontrolled virus outbreak. The pay-per-view card will occur at the Florida site on Aug. 23. According to the Wrestling Observer, an NXT Takeover show is scheduled to air on the WWE Network on Aug. 22. Read more here.JULY 2Former WWE wrestler Kane now goes by another name: Mayor Glenn Jacobs, who is mayor of Knox County, Tennessee. The county's board of health voted on an ordinance to make wearing masks mandatory for anyone who is inside certain buildings. The ordinance passed 7-1, with the lone "no" vote cast by Jacobs, according to Jack Baer of Yahoo Sports. Kane, of course, was known for wearing a mask during his WWE tenure. Interestingly, Jacobs does not believe in wearing masks during a pandemic. Read more here.JUNE 26John Pollock of Post Wrestling confirmed that WWE postponed taping for Monday's "Raw" from Friday to Saturday, while the June 26 edition of "SmackDown" was still being produced live-to-tape as originally intended. As noted by Post Wrestling, on-air talents Renee Young and Kayla Braxton, along with Adam Pearce and Jamie Noble, all recently tested positive for the coronavirus. Read more here.JUNE 24At least three people within WWE have tested positive for COVID-19, including in-ring talent, according to Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet. Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer adds that WWE has known about the test results for about a week. On the AEW side, President and CEO Tony Khan tweeted that world champion Jon Moxley (known as Dean Ambrose in WWE) was off Wednesday's "Dynamite" show after he was exposed to somebody with COVID-19. 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.

What's new in boxing:JUNE 26Boxing legend Roberto Durán has tested positive for the coronavirus after going to a hospital in Panama on Thursday with cold-like symptoms, he announced on Instagram. 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.

The latest from the IOC:JULY 21The Kyodo news agency released a poll last week that showed just how little support the Olympics currently have in Japan, with only 23.9% of Japanese citizens polled supporting the Olympics being in Tokyo next summer. Meanwhile, 36.4% said they believed the Olympics need to be delayed again, and 34% said they would support the event being canceled altogether. Read more here.JULY 11Team USA basketball coach Gregg Popovich had some encouraging words about the Olympics taking place next summer. Per the Associated Press' Tim Reynolds, Pop cited Japan's successful response to the pandemic for why he's optimistic the Olympics can take place in Tokyo in 2021. Read more here.JUNE 30The International Olympic Committee says it will provide added support services to athletes worldwide through Athlete365, as an added layer to help them with the challenges that have arisen amid the coronavirus pandemic and the postponement of this year's games.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.

MLS and NWSL most recent developments:JULY 23Despite fears about rising coronavirus cases throughout the United States, Major League Soccer side Atlanta United reportedly intends to open Mercedes-Benz Stadium to fans at a reduced capacity for games later this year. Read more here.JULY 17Months after the worsening coronavirus pandemic forced Major League Soccer to suspend the 2020 season after two matchdays, league commissioner Don Garber confirmed three expansion clubs will have debuts postponed at least a year. In an official statement, MLS said that Charlotte, Sacramento Republic FC and St. Louis have all been pushed back one year. Charlotte will debut in 2022, while Sacramento and St. Louis will begin MLS tenures in 2023. Read more here.JULY 16Atlanta United head coach Frank de Boer has hit out at the 9 a.m. ET kickoffs for the Major League Soccer "MLS is Back" tournament held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex amid the worsening coronavirus pandemic. "We have to really think if it is good when we play in these certain times with this heat," he said. Read more here.JULY 10One Sporting Kansas City player tested positive for the coronavirus at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex bubble site being used for the MLS is Back tournament, according to numerous reports. Read more here.JULY 9Nashville SC has officially withdrawn from the MLS Is Back tournament following several positive coronavirus tests, becoming the second team to back out of the tournament after FC Dallas was forced to pull out earlier this week. Read more here.JULY 7MLS  confirmed that Wednesday's Nashville SC versus Chicago Fire match is postponed due to five Nashville players testing positive for the virus at the bubble site. The MLS statement added that two players learned of their positive results over the July 4 weekend. Three others received positive results on Monday evening. Four players require additional testing due to inconclusive results. Read more here.JULY 6As expected, LAFC star forward and reigning MLS MVP Carlos Vela won't take part in the MLS is Back tournament scheduled to begin on Wednesday amid the coronavirus pandemic. Last week, ESPN's Herculez Gomez and Jeff Carlisle hinted that the 31-year-old would opt out of the competition held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex because his wife is pregnant. Read more here.The Athletic's Paul Tenorio and Sam Stejskal reported that FC Dallas will not play in the tournament either. ESPN's Stefano Fusaro verified that story during an on-air segment. Last week, FC Dallas confirmed that six players tested positive for the coronavirus upon the club's arrival to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex bubble site. Those players quarantined at the team's hotel away from others. Read more here.JULY 4The FC Dallas vs. Vancouver Whitecaps match in MLS is Back tournament has been postponed. The date has yet to be revealed. Dallas has been quarantined since the team arrived in Orlando on June 27, preventing players from training. Vancouver was scheduled to arrive on Wednesday, but was delayed because of two inconclusive coronavirus tests. The tests have since been confirmed negative, and the team will travel to Orlando on Monday. Read more here.JULY 1MLS side FC Dallas has suffered a COVID-19 among its players. 3rd Degree initially reported the side has six confirmed positive test results upon the team's arrival to its hotel. MLS confirmed the news, via The Athletic's Sam Stejskal and Paul Tenorio. However, Tenorio notes there have been no other positive tests among teams in the bubble. Read more here.JUNE 30Louisville City FC of the second-tier USL Championship will be able to allow fans when the team's season kicks off on July 12. As ESPN's Jeff Carlisle wrote on Tuesday, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has approved that venue to operate at 50 percent of the 15,304-seat capacity when Louisville City face the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. Read more here.JUNE 22The Orlando Pride announced that the team has withdrawn from the competition due to multiple positive COVID-19 tests among players and coaches. Those who tested positive as well as exposed individuals will quarantine for 14 days. 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.

Most recent news from international soccer circles:JULY 24The 2020-21 EPL season will begin on Sept. 12, the league announced. The current season will end on July 26, and teams who aren't competing in European competition will have nearly two months to prepare for the campaign. Read more here.JULY 22Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp is doubling down on asking fans to celebrate the club's championship at home. He said, "We should all celebrate together at home. ... I don't know when, when this bulls---t virus is gone, then we will have a party all together," via Football Daily. Read more here.JULY 21On the same day that Liverpool players learned that family members likely  will be welcomed to Anfield for Wednesday's English Premier League trophy presentation after the Reds face Chelsea, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp pleaded for supporters to remain away from the stadium when his club officially celebrates its first top-flight title in 30 years. Read more here.JULY 20According to ESPN, the Ballon d'Or has been canceled for the first time in the award's history due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the soccer calendar. Group L'Equipe, the organizers of the award, announced that the conditions for the prize to be awarded had not taken place due to the pandemic. Read more here.JULY 15The International Football Association Board will allow leagues to expand the rule permitting clubs five substitutions per game instead of the standard three replacements through the end of upcoming 2020-21 campaigns. Read more here.JULY 10According to ESPN, soccer in the Netherlands will resume on Sept. 15 with 15 percent to 35 percent of stadiums available for spectators. No away supporters will be allowed, however. Spectators will need to remain about five feet apart, bring masks and buy drinks from roaming sellers rather than waiting in line at kiosks. Read more here.The English government has warned the Premier League about not following social distancing protocols, according to Sam Wallace of The Telegraph. The government is warning the top flight about footballers and coaches failing to maintain social distancing rules following goals or during each per-half hydration break. Read more here.JULY 6The English Premier League announced that it recorded zero positive COVID-19 results in the competition's latest round of testing. Per Sky Sports and other outlets, England's top flight tested 1,973 players and club staff members between June 29 and July 5. Sky added that individual clubs are also testing footballers amid training sessions. Read more here.JULY 1Wigan became the first professional English side to enter into administration amid the coronavirus pandemic. Lack of funding from the side's new owners as well a financial burden placed on clubs since the pandemic started played a part, per BBC, which notes that other clubs might be in the same position soon. Read more here.JUNE 30Rising coronavirus cases sent Leicester back into lockdown and put the Premier League fixture between Leicester City and Crystal Palace, scheduled to occur at the King Power Stadium on July 4, in doubt, per Sky News. However, Leicester announced they've been given the green light to host Palace and other opponents as the English top-flight completes the 2019-20 season this summer. Read more here.JUNE 29As expected, supporters will not be welcomed to stadiums in Portugal when the 2019-20 Champions League quarterfinals begin via a single-game elimination format on Aug. 12. Read more here.JUNE 23Paris Saint-Germain hit their first obstacle upon a return to training when the club announced that three players and one staff member "showed historic positive" test results for the coronavirus. Read more here.JUNE 22The Athletic's David Ornstein reported that an Arsenal player tested positive for the coronavirus ahead of last week's clash with City. The unnamed player and two other footballers exposed to that individual missed three training sessions due to self-isolation guidelines enforced whenever somebody associated with a club tests positive for COVID-19. Once antigen and antibody tests for the person in question came back negative, all three men were welcomed back to training. They traveled to Manchester for the City game. 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.

WNBA's latest developments:JULY 14The WNBA has denied Elena Delle Donne's request to opt out of the upcoming season for medical reasons, forcing her to decide if she will play or skip the season and not receive her salary. Delle Donne requested to skip the season because she has Lyme disease, which her personal physician told her puts her at risk of contracting COVID-19. However, Lyme disease is not listed by the CDC as an underlying condition that increases your odds of catching the coronavirus, and an independent panel determined she was not at-risk more than anyone else. Read more here.JULY 13The WNBA  unveiled its 2020 schedule and announced that the Seattle Storm, led by 2018 MVP Breanna Stewart, will battle first overall draft selection Sabrina Ionescu and the New York Liberty on July 25 to begin the season. The Phoenix Mercury face the Los Angeles Sparks, and the Washington Mystics begin their title defense versus the Indiana Fever later that same day. 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.

esports carries on: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.

Most recent developments among other sports:JULY 21The Indy 500 is reducing fan attendance from 50% down to 25% due to the coronavirus and will require all attending fans to wear masks to the race. These changes were announced by an Indy 500 fan guidelines released from Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Read more here.JULY 1The 2020 Mexico City Marathon announced that the race scheduled for Aug. 30 is canceled. According to Mexico News Daily, the event drew roughly 30,000 runners last year. Read more here.JUNE 26The Indianapolis 500, set for Aug. 23, became the latest American sporting event to welcome fans amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Indianapolis Motor Speedway President J. Douglas Boles confirmed the news, stating, "We will be limiting attendance to approximately 50 percent of venue capacity." Per Shanna McCarriston of CBS Sports, Indianapolis Motor Speedway carries a capacity of around 235,000. The official announcement also explained that individuals who do not wish to attend, such as those considered high-risk, will receive credits. Safety items such as masks and hand sanitizer will be distributed to all race attendees. Read more here.JUNE 24The world's largest marathon in New York City has officially been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to Jackie Salo of the New York Post. The five-borough race, which hosts more than 50,000 runners from across the globe, would've celebrated its 50th anniversary on Nov. 1. It is now set to take place on Nov. 7, 2021. Read more here.JUNE 23The Haspa Marathon Hamburg, which was postponed from April, is set to occur on Sept. 13. The race is expecting 10,000 to 14,000 runners. However, Americans might not be among thm. Action Network's Darren Rovell reported that runners from "higher-risk COVID areas" will not be allowed to participate. A higher-risk area could include the United States. Read more here.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.