When Is Sports Returning? The Latest Updates
Get the latest updates on when your favorite sports are returning. We break down the latest news and rumors for baseball, basketball, football, and more.
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Introduction
It’s been months since the major American sports leagues shut down in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
Since then, there have been a number of false starts and canceled plans. But now, it appears that all four major leagues are close to returning.
Here’s a look at the latest updates on when sports may return in the United States.
MLB
Major League Baseball is considering a plan to start the 2020 season in early July, according to a report from The Athletic.
The report, which cites unnamed sources, says MLB has been discussing a plan in which all 30 teams would play approximately 82 games. The regular season would then be followed by an expanded playoff format that would include 14 teams instead of the normal 10.
NBA
The NBA is currently scheduled to resume its season on July 30th. All games will be played in a Bubble at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
The playoffs will follow the standard format, with the Finals ending no later than mid-October.
NHL
The National Hockey League (NHL) is aiming to start its 2020-21 season on Jan. 1, 2021, according to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun.
The league and the NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA) have tentatively agreed on a 56-game regular season for the upcoming campaign.
If the plan comes to fruition, training camps would open on Dec. 1 and the Stanley Cup playoffs would conclude in late June or early July.
TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that sources say the two sides have also tentatively agreed that all games will be played within Canadian and U.S. markets due to concerns around cross-border travel amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dreger says the league will use a regionalized schedule format, which would see teams only playing opponents in their own division or conference for the first part of the regular season.
NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league consisting of 32 teams, divided equally between the National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC). The NFL is one of the four major professional sports leagues in North America, and the highest professional level of American football in the world.
The NFL was formed in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association (APFA) before renaming itself the National Football League for the 1922 season. The NFL agreed to merge with the American Football League (AFL) in 1966, and the first Super Bowl was held at the end of that season; the merger was completed in 1970. Today, the NFL has the highest average attendance (67,591) of any professional sports league in the world and is also America’s most popular form of television programming, broadcasts to 115 million viewers in the United States alone each year.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while there is no set date for when sports will return, the latest updates seem to suggest that a return is imminent. With strict safety guidelines in place, it seems likely that we will see a gradual return to normalcy in the world of sports. In the meantime, stay tuned for more updates as they become available.
