Coronavirus: Cancellations and Changes in US sport

football, coronavirus, covid-19 [pixabay photo]

A quick look at major cancellations and changes in North American sport through Tuesday amid the coronavirus pandemic:

American Football

  • Cancelled: NFL annual meeting March 29-April 1, all public events surrounding April 23-25 draft which will still take place
  • Suspended: Travel by team personnel to assess prospective players and face-to-face meetings among free agent prospects and team staff as NFL orders team facilities shuttered

Athletics

  • Postponed: The 124th Boston Marathon, scheduled for April 20, postponed to September 14

Baseball

  • Postponed: Major League Baseball season start, originally scheduled for March 26, until mid-May
  • Cancelled: Major League Baseball Spring Training games; 2020 World Baseball Classic qualifier postponed

Basketball

  • Suspended: NBA regular season from March 12
  • Cancelled: NCAA “March Madness” national collegiate basketball tournament; move followed shutdown of lead-in tournaments in Big Ten, Big East, Atlantic Coast, Southeastern and Pacific 12 conferences

Football

  • Suspended: MLS season for 30 days from March 12
  • Cancelled: US men’s friendlies v Netherlands in Eindhoven on March 26 and v Wales in Cardiff on March 30
  • Cancelled: US women’s friendlies v Australia in Sandy, Utah on April 10 and v Brazil on April 14 in San Jose, California
  • Cancelled: Mexico men’s friendlies v Czech Republic in Charlotte, North Carolina, on March 26 and v Greece in Arlington, Texas, on March 29

Golf

  • Postponed: The Masters, first men’s major of the year that was scheduled for April 9-12 at Augusta National, no new date specified
  • Postponed: US PGA Championship scheduled for April 14-17 at Harding Park in San Francisco, no new date specified
  • Suspended: US PGA Tour season through May 10, including cancellation of last three rounds of the Players Championship, the Valspar Championship, WGC Match-Play, Corales Putacana Resort Championship, Texas Open, RBC Heritage, Zurich Classic of New Orleans, Wells Fargo Championship and Byron Nelson
  • Postponed: Three LPGA tournaments in March and April, including the April 2-5 ANA Inspiration in Rancho Mirage, California, the first major on the 2020 golf calendar

Ice hockey

  • Suspended: NHL regular season from March 12
  • Cancelled: Women’s World Championship to be held in Canada from March 31 to April 10

Motor racing

  • Cancelled: First four races of IndyCar season, the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, GP of Alabama, GP of Long Beach and IndyCar Challenge at Austin Texas
  • Postponed: First seven races of the NASCAR stock car season, planned resumption May 9

Tennis

  • Cancelled: Indian Wells ATP Masters and WTA tournament scheduled for March 11-22
  • Cancelled: Miami Open ATP Masters and WTA tournament scheduled for March 23-April 5
  • Cancelled: Houston ATP tournament April 6-12 cancelled as part of ATP Tour worldwide six-week suspension
  • Cancelled: Charleston WTA tournament April 6-12 (AFP)