College Football
At least five members of the Alabama football team have tested positive for COVID-19. Multiple outlets report the players tested positive this week and one of them attended the player-led workouts on Tuesday and Wednesday.
MLB
Union leader Tony Clark said MLB players are standing firm in rejecting any more pay cuts. More than 100 players, including the union’s executive board, met in a two-hour conference call yesterday. Clark said players want to return to the field, but are unwilling to accept the owners’ proposals of more pay cuts. Owners rejected the union proposal for a 114-game season with no pay cuts beyond prorated salaries.
NBA
The NBA Board of Governors yesterday authorized a return-to-play plan with a 22-team format. The Athletic reported Portland cast the lone dissenting vote among the 30 owners. The new format will involve 13 Western Conference teams including the Memphis Grizzlies and nine Eastern. All games would be played at Disney properties near Orlando with no fans. Players would be tested daily for coronavirus. The regular season will resume July 31st and conclude in early- to-mid October with the NBA finals. The postseason will be the standard best-of-seven series. The players vote on this measure today.
Dates have been tentatively set for the NBA Draft Lottery and NBA Draft. According to ESPN, the draft lottery is set for August 25th. The actual draft itself would take place October 15th following the conclusion of the season. NBA Free Agency would start a few days later on October 18th.
NHL
The NHL will allow players to have voluntary limited group workouts of up to six at a time beginning Monday at team facilities and revealed more details of a 24-team plan to reopen the season. Both sides agreed all playoff rounds will be best-of-seven series with the play-in qualifying round will be a best-of-five. If play resumes, the league would test players daily. Games would be played in still to be chosen two hub cities with no fans.
NFL
Coaches will be allowed to return beginning today to NFL team facilities closed because of the coronavirus pandemic as the league continues preparation for training camps and its season. Commissioner Roger Goodell told the 32 clubs in a memo all coaches will count toward the maximum number of club employees in the facility, but that number will be increased to 100 – also subject to governmental regulations and implementation of health protocols developed by the NFL’s medical staff.