Sports Go Dark

As cases of coronavirus continued its spread across the U.S., the sports industry seemingly took a collective time out.

Yesterday, MLS, NHL, and the XFL all announced that they would be suspending their seasons, following the lead of the NBA.

MLB announced that it would be delaying the start of its season, which was scheduled for later this month, while also canceling spring training.

The NCAA, which had previously stated that March Madness and other winter championship tournaments would be played but without fans, reversed course and canceled all competitions. All conference tournaments were also canceled.

Other events, such as The PLAYERS Championship and the Miami Open, were also canceled. The PGA Tour and world tennis tours ATP and WTA also postponed or canceled events.

Few sports properties in the U.S. are still operating. NASCAR has stated that it plans to hold its next two races but without fans in attendance. UFC President Dana White said the organization plans to continue its fight schedule, but in front of no fans with some cards moving venues to UFC’s facility in Las Vegas.

Similar ramifications were felt across Europe, as multiple soccer leagues such as La Liga and Serie A also suspended their seasons. The Premier League had an emergency meeting on Friday and halted all matches until the weekend of April 4th.

As the situation continues to evolve, Front Office Sports has launched a live blog that our editorial staff is continually updating with the latest on how the sports industry is being impacted by the coronavirus. You can view that blog here.