Derek Jeter was a first-ballot Hall of Famer a few months ago, but he will have to wait an extra year to be inducted at Cooperstown. The Hall of Fame has announced that it has canceled the July 26 induction ceremony because of the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, the class will be included with any additional new choices at next year's induction festivities.
Jeter's class includes outfielder Larry Walker and catcher Ted Simmons, along with former union head Marvin Miller. A record crowd of over 70,000 had been expected this summer at the small town in upstate New York to honor Jeter, the former Yankees captain who came within one vote of unanimous election in January. This will be the first year without an induction ceremony since 1960.
Similarly, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo says the summer season at Saratoga Race Course is in jeopardy. The 40-day meet is scheduled to begin July 16th, but racing at New York Racing Association tracks has been halted since March 19th because of the pandemic.
"Density is not our friend, right?" asks Cuomo. "Even when you talk about opening a venue...You look at some of the pictures of some of the states that are opening up venues — two seats apart, six feet apart...How do you do six feet apart at the racetrack? How do you six feet apart at the state fair?"
Average attendance at Saratoga Race Course in 2019 was more than 27,000 people a day.
In other virus-related sports news:
The leading plan for hockey coming back this summer involves playing at a few empty NHL arenas to finish the season and award the Stanley Cup. Unknowns about the coronavirus have kept the league working on multiple scenarios. A person familiar with discussions tells The Associated Press the most aggressive timetable would have players returning to their home rinks as early as May 15, followed by a training camp in June. The regular season, featuring some if not all 31 teams would then begin in July, with the Cup awarded in September.
Several Major League Baseball teams have announced ticket refund policies for games not played through May because of the virus outbreak. The Cleveland Indians have offered a 10% bonus credit for fans who want to apply what they've paid to future games. The Boston Red Sox extended a similar bonus credit to season ticket holders. Spring training was suspended on March 12 and the regular season was delayed from its scheduled March 26 start because of the new coronavirus pandemic. A revised schedule has not been announced. MLB is exploring many options to play this year if it's deemed safe.
The Tampa Bay Rays are the first Major League Baseball team known to plan furloughs of some full-time employees because of the coronavirus pandemic. That's according to a person familiar with the decision who told The Associated Press they temporary cost-cutting measures will take effect on Saturday.
The LPGA Tour is pushing back the restart of its season at least another month. The target now is a tournament in Michigan on July 15-18, and that depends on whether it's safe to return. The tour was hopeful of resuming June 19-21 in Arkansas. Commissioner Mike Whan says it's not about being the first sport to be back but being safe. And he says the next three events on the new schedule — in Michigan, Ohio and New Jersey — will only be played if the coronavirus situation allows for it. The season-ending event in Florida would end on Dec. 20.
International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach says the future of sports after the coronavirus pandemic might mean fewer international events. In a letter to Olympic officials and athletes worldwide, Bach says "the current health crisis will lead to a long and deep economic crisis" which will affect sports. He says "governments must include sport in their economic support programs" so it can be part of a worldwide recovery.
The head of the IOC's coordination commission for the Tokyo Olympics says he disagrees with suggestions by some scientists and doctors that a vaccine for COVID-19 is needed to hold the games. John Coates says the advice from the World Health Organization is to continue to plan for the 2021 Olympics, and he says, "that is what we're doing." The president of the Japan Medical Association president said Tuesday that it would only be possible for the Olympics to go ahead in July 2021 if the infections were under control, not only in Japan, but globally.
Switzerland's federal government says professional sports teams can resume training on May 11, with a view to playing games in empty stadiums four weeks later. The government is set to make a final decision on May 27 as to whether games can resume in June.
Italy's sports minister says it is increasingly unlikely the soccer season will resume. He says even though professional sports teams have been given the go-ahead to resume training on May 18, "resuming training absolutely does not mean resuming the season." The French government called off the season in that country Tuesday.
UEFA's leading medical official at the Union of European Football Associations says soccer competitions should be able to resume this season. Tim Meyer says all soccer organizations planning for resumptions need to produce "comprehensive protocols dictating sanitary and operational conditions" to ensure the health of those involved in the games is protected. Meyer says "it is definitely possible to plan the restart of competitions suspended during the 2019-20 season" under these conditions and if local legislation is respected.
Serena and Venus Williams and Maria Sharapova are scheduled to compete in a video game tennis tournament for charity called the "Stay at Home Slam." The IMG agency says Naomi Osaka and Kei Nishikori are also participating Sunday. Participants will each pick a charity to receive a $25,000 donation and the winner will choose who gets an additional $1 million donation.
NCAA
The NCAA has announced that its Board of Governors supports a plan that gives athletes the ability to cash in on their names, images and likenesses as never before and without involvement from the association, schools or conferences. Ohio State President and board chairman Michael Drake called it an "unprecedented" move by the NCAA. The next step is for membership to draft legislation by Oct. 30. Plenty of details still need to be worked out, including how to ensure that these sponsorship deals aren't being used as improper inducements to recruits. A formal vote will be taken by schools at the next convention in January and new rules will go into effect no later than the 2021-22 academic year.
NFL
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has reduced his salary to zero, according to a person familiar with the move. He makes upward of $30 million a year from salaries and bonuses. Other NFL employees will be taking pay cuts or furloughs due to the coronavirus pandemic. The league is implementing tiered reductions in base salary, beginning with the pay period ending May 22. The reduction will be 5% for workers up to the manager's level, 7% for directors, 10% for vice presidents, 12% for senior vice presidents, and 15% for executive vice presidents. In a memo sent to league office staffers, Goodell also said no employee earning a base salary of less than $100,000 will be affected by these reductions, and no employee's salary will be reduced below $100,000 by the reductions.
Chiefs cornerback Bashaud Breeland faces a total of five charges, including resisting arrest and drug possession, after he was seen smoking marijuana in South Carolina. A York County sheriff's deputy drew his gun on Breeland, who is also charged with resisting arrest. He was released on $2,362.50 bond after spending more than nine hours in jail. He had an interception and a team-high seven tackles in the Chiefs' Super Bowl win over San Francisco in February.
Former Packers quarterback Brett Favre says Aaron Rodgers was surprised by Green Bay's decision to draft a quarterback in the first round. Favre said Wednesday on "The Rich Eisen Show" that he had spoken with Rodgers since the Packers traded up four spots in the first round to take Utah State's Jordan Love with the 26th overall pick in the draft Thursday. Rodgers has four years remaining on his contract, but Favre also told Eisen that "my gut tells me" the two-time MVP won't finish his career in Green Bay.
The Falcons say they are taking a "wait-and-see approach" with defensive end Takk McKinley's future with the team. For now, the Falcons say they are declining their fifth-year option with McKinley for 2021. McKinley, a first-round pick in 2017, has 16 1/2 sacks through three seasons.
The Ravens have exercised the fifth-year option on All-Pro cornerback Marlon Humphrey, keeping him under contract through 2021. Humphrey was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2019 after a season in which he reached career highs with 65 tackles, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
The Cowboys have agreed to terms with free agent cornerback Daryl Worley after grabbing two corners in last week's draft. Worley spent the past two seasons with the Oakland Raiders after playing his first two NFL seasons with Carolina.
Bryan Cox. Jr. has inked a one-year contract with the Bulls after splitting last season between Carolina and Cleveland. Bryan Cox Sr. was a 12-year NFL linebacker and best known in Buffalo for antagonizing the Bills and their fans during his five seasons with the Dolphins.
The Colts now have two kickers under contract for next season while the NFL's career scoring leader, Adam Vinatieri, remains a free agent. Indianapolis signed Rodrigo Blankenship to join fellow kicker Chase McLaughlin.
Former Jaguars linebacker Telvin Smith has been arrested on a charge of unlawful sexual activity with certain minors. The 29-year-old Smith was booked into the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Jail Wednesday and was being held on a $50,003 bond. No details or police report was immediately available.
The NFL has renewed its streaming deal with Amazon for Thursday night games for three years. Amazon Prime Video and Twitch also will have exclusive streaming rights to one additional regular-season game in 2020. Amazon Prime Video and Twitch will stream 11 Thursday night games broadcast by Fox, giving access to more than 150 million paid Prime members.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
The list of underclassmen interested in the upcoming NBA draft continues to swell. Alonzo Verge Jr. has become the third Arizona State player to declare for the draft. The junior guard joined Remy Martin and Romello White among the 205 underclassmen so far on the league's official list. Players have until June 3 to remove their names from the June 25 draft. Verge played 28 games and made nine starts for the Sun Devils last season, averaging 14.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists. Also declaring Wednesday were Utah sophomore guard Timmy Allen, Creighton forward Damien Jefferson and Southern California guard Elijah Weaver. The 6-foot-6 Allen earned second-team All-Pac-12 honors from the AP after averaging 17.3 points, 7.3 boards and 3.0 assists for the Utes last season.
Oregon women's basketball star Sabrina Ionescu and Iowa wrestler Spencer Lee shared the Sullivan Award as the country's top amateur athlete. Ionescu swept every major women's basketball award, including being a unanimous choice as the AP player of the year. She had an NCAA-record 26 career triple-doubles and was the first NCAA player - men's or women's - to reach 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 1,000 assists. Lee was 18-0 for the Hawkeyes this year as a junior before the season was stopped. The 125-pounder won NCAA titles his first two seasons.
NHL
The Detroit Red Wings have signed left wing Mathias Brome to a one-year contract, adding one of the leading scorers from the Swedish Hockey League last season. The 25-year-old Brome had a career-high 43 points last season, leading Orebro HK with 17 goals and 26 assists. Brome averaged 33 points over three seasons in the SHL.
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