SPORTS HEADLINES May 29, 2020

NFL

NFL owners are tabling a proposed rule that would allow teams to replace an onside kick with an untimed fourth-and-15 play from their own 25-yard line. Three rules were adopted at yesterday’s virtual meeting. The league made permanent the expansion of replay to include scoring plays and turnovers negated by a foul, as well as extra-point tries. Defenseless player protection will be expanded and teams will be prevented from deliberately taking time off the game clock by committing multiple dead-ball fouls while the clock is running. The owners also increased the number of players that teams may designate for return from injured reserve each season from two to three.

NBA

USA Today reports the NBA’s Board of Governors meet today, but will unlikely make a decision on plans to resume the season. The meeting will stimulate discussions on varying proposals, including playing all games without fans at Disney properties in central Florida. The league has not established how much time it needs to finalize logistics for a possible late July restart.

NHL

The NHL says Phase Three of its Return-to-Play plan will begin sometime in mid-July with formal training camps. League officials said yesterday that the camps would not open before July 10th. The NHL will not resume the regular season and instead will hold a 24-team Stanley Cup Playoff with clubs split between two host cities to be decided at a later date.

NASCAR

Chase Elliott picked up his first NASCAR Cup victory of the year, winning the rain delayed Alsco Uniform 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Denny Hamlin was the runner-up, while Ryan Blaney finished third and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. fourth. Kevin Harvick finished 10th, but remains number one in the Cup Series points. The NASCAR Cup series continues Sunday at Bristol Motor Speedway.