NFL medical director Allen Sills said that as long as there are positive coronavirus cases, it will be impossible to see the professional leagues reopen.
This statement is obviously the last thing senior NFL leaders want to hear, and the same thing is likely to be the case in other leagues.
President Donald Trump confirmed on Saturday that he wanted professional sport to take its place in our lives starting in September, just in time for the NFL season.
He organized a teleconference with all the commissioners of the various major leagues and he knows very well that the return to normal will go through the NFL, the NBA, the MLB and the NHL.
Towards a protocol
It is easy today to make all kinds of predictions about the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it seems pretty clear that we will have to learn to live with the virus.
“We have to reopen our country,” said President Trump following his discussion with the commissioners.
And even if some states like California oppose the return of professional sport in September, they will have to find a happy medium.
A scenario under study
The question is how to revive these leagues. One option that is strongly considered is the return of sporting events to empty stands.
Keep in mind that this is exactly how the NHL is preparing to return to the game, and it may not be in traditional arenas that these games will be played.
At least, this is the scenario that is currently being studied by senior management.
However, it will be imperative, for the safety of team members and broadcasters, that a protocol be implemented to determine how it will be possible for the action to resume.
This protocol is not for tomorrow, but it will have to be coordinated with all the major leagues. That’s why President Trump decided to speak to all the commissioners today.
Right now, the return to normal is not for tomorrow. But if one thing stands out clearly, it is that there will be sport on our screens by the end of the summer.
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