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The coronavirus continues to dominate the news cycle. Now, we’re seeing more preventative action taken in the realm of sports.
Multiple sports and their respective leagues are essentially on hold for the foreseeable future. We’ve seen basketball tournaments canceled, entire regular seasons paused and the status of future sporting events come into question.
March Madness Gets Nixed
Some 13 conferences canceled their respective men’s basketball league tournaments Thursday afternoon. All of them in about the span of an hour.
Florida State was minutes away from its second-round match up against Clemson. At around the time they’d have taken the floor, ACC Commissioner John Swofford awarded the Seminoles the championship trophy.
https://twitter.com/theScore/status/1238143617950199808
Some teams were in the middle of competition when the cancellations came. The Big East became the last major conference to halt play. They did so at halftime during the Creighton-St. John’s game.
The last domino just fell. Both men’s and women’s NCAA Basketball Tournaments are canceled. Both College World Series could be gone too based on the NCAA’s statement below.
NCAA cancels remaining winter and spring championships: https://t.co/qzKAS4McEI pic.twitter.com/G6XreZx35E
— NCAA (@NCAA) March 12, 2020
Previously, the SEC released a statement that halted all-SEC competition until at least March 30. Schools have the autonomy to decide on team practices.
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey on a timetable for return:
Professional Leagues Follow NBA
NBA owners are encouraging of commissioner Adam Silver to re-evaluate the league's suspension in 30 days, sources tell ESPN. League is expected to make a formal announcement on an initial timetable soon.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 12, 2020
The professional circuit isn’t immune either. The NHL and MLS ceased their regular seasons until further notice on Thursday because of coronavirus. Major League Baseball delayed its start for at least two weeks.
Statement from Major League Baseball: pic.twitter.com/0bWS5VTRPu
— MLB (@MLB) March 12, 2020
Cardinals manager Mike Shildt before regular-season suspension:
The last remaining professional sports to continue are the PGA and NASCAR. Both announced to hold their events with no fans in attendance like many other leagues planned to do prior to suspensions.
“This decision allows the PGA TOUR, our fans and constituents to plan, prepare and respond as events develop,” read PGA Commissioner Jay Monahan’s statement.
However, both entities noted in separate statements the susceptibility of these plans changing in the future as the situation develops.
Gatornationals are Gone
An event with extreme significance to the region financially and socially also saw its operation halt due to coronavirus.
The NHRA announced contests for Thursday are to finish over the weekend without spectators but all other categories are postponed to a later date.
NHRA postpones portion of Amalie Motor Oil Gatornationals pic.twitter.com/HHnZbzAXx9
— #NHRA (@NHRA) March 12, 2020
Situations are seemingly changing by the minute as more news about the virus comes out. But it’s safe to say we won’t see any sports any time soon.
