It’s unclear when professional sports will return to the state of New York, but when they do, don’t expect fans to be involved.
Amid these tragic and difficult times, anything is possible when it comes to the eventual return of pro sports. We still don’t know exactly if the NBA, NHL, or MLB will return this year, and as far as the NFL is concerned, a delay of the 2020 campaign is certainly viable.
But different teams returning to action in their own venues has to do with their respective home states. And with New York, it’s a significantly tough situation. The state’s largest city — the area where many of its sports teams are located — is a hot spot for the major virus that’s overwhelming our country and world.
With all that said, it’s unclear when athletics will return to the Empire State, but when they do, Governor Andrew Cuomo believes it should occur without supporters in attendance.
On Monday, Cuomo stated that he’s encouraging in-state professional sports teams to “plan reopenings without fans.” He additionally noted the power of television is present in the event fans aren’t inside the venues.
At this point, both New York-based baseball teams would’ve had their 2020 slates fully underway. MLB’s Opening Day was originally supposed to take place on March 26. Earlier that month, MLB canceled the remainder of the spring training schedule and delayed the regular season’s commencement by at least two weeks. Now, the regular season may not begin until July, if at all.
Both the NBA and NHL playoffs were additionally set to be well underway.
Many believe the NFL campaign will be figured out in some way, shape, or form, considering the regular season isn’t slated to commence until September. Nonetheless, as every day passes, the possibility of an altered season seems more and more likely.
