The coronavirus pandemic has beset dysfunction on major sporting leagues around the U.S.
Despite the NFL being in the offseason, the league has taken into consideration the possibility COVID-19 could hinder operations and even alter scheduling.
Indeed, the NFLPA recommended on Saturday players stop practicing together in the wake of a number of positive cases in the last week.
However, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported the NFL remains “highly optimistic” the 2020 season will take place. But as Florio also noted, there is less hope with respect to fans being in the seats for the start of the year:
And there’s good news, even if the news regarding the prospects for football amid a pandemic has felt like anything but good. The NFL remains highly optimistic that the 2020 season will happen.
Less optimism exists that fans will be present for any of the games, however. The temptation to swing the doors open and allow risks to be assumed and reduce capacity where needed with staggered arrivals and departures quite possibly will yield to political and public-heath considerations that could make it more prudent to pass on playing with fans.
Players and coaches around the league have indicated a preference for playing with fans. But the NFL has floated alternative ideas for generating noise.
Week 1 is just over two months away. That might seem like a fairly significant amount of time but, in actuality, the league is approaching a tipping point.
All 32 teams will need more clarity on their respective training camps as well as preseason games, but it might still take time for those pictures to develop as the pandemic continues to unfold. Of course, the threat of a second wave also looms large.
In any case, the NFL is confident the 2020 season will transpire. Whether it really begins in September is another question.
Follow Us
Subscribe