Alabama football players returned Tuscaloosa this week as voluntary workouts are set to begin next week.
Reports: ‘At least 5’ Alabama players test positive for coronavirus — nyob.news
On the same day it was announced that MLS would return to play, it was also revealed that an unidentified player had contracted COVID-19. FC Dallas announced on Wednesday afternoon that one of its players has (…)
FC Dallas player tests positive for coronavirus — SBI Soccer
The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports that Major League Baseball has rejected the MLBPA’s proposal for a 114-game season and has not sent a counter offer. The league said it had started discussions with the owners, “about a shorter season without fans, and is ready to discuss additional ideas with the union.” This should be understood […]
MLB rejected the players’ season proposal for 114 games and does not send a counter — Archyde
Second set of cuts announced by the company since the COVID-19 pandemic halted the NHL season on March 12.
Groupe CH, parent company for the Canadiens, cuts more jobs — Montreal Gazette
Winnipeg Jets captain Blake Wheeler says player access to their families is a critical issue to navigate if the NHL wants to return this summer. Read More
Family, safety, among hurdles for NHL to clear — Winnipeg Sun
Agent Scott Boras will reportedly cover the salaries of his minor league clients across the league who have been recently been released.
Scott Boras to pay salaries of released minor league clients — HardballTalk | NBC Sports
One day after getting big blowback, the Nationals have reversed course on a puzzling decision.
Nationals back off of minor league stipend cut — HardballTalk | NBC Sports
Yesterday it was reported that the Washington Nationals would cut the weekly stipend paid to their minor leaguers from $400 a week to $300 per week through the end of June.
For frame of reference, MLB had agreed to pay all minor leaguers $400 per week through May 31. Several teams have agreed to extend that, with the Royals and Twins agreeing to do it all the way through the end of August. The Oakland A’s decided to stop the payments in their entirety as of today. The Nationals were unique in cutting $100 off of the checks.
The A’s and the Nationals have taken a great amount of flak for what they’ve done. The Nats move was immediately countered by Nationals major league players announcing that they would cover what the organization would not.
The A’s are, apparently, still sticking to their plan. The Nats, however, have reversed course:
Source: Nationals owners have decided to pay minor leaguers $400 a week after deciding to cut the stipend from $400 to $300.
— Jesse Dougherty (@dougherty_jesse) June 1, 2020
One can easily imagine a situation in which Nats ownership just decided, cold-heartedly, to lop that hundred bucks off of each minor league check and not worry about a moment longer. What’s harder to imagine is what seems to have actually happened: the Nats did it without realizing that anyone would take issue with it, were surprised by the blowback, and then reversed course. Like, what kind of a bubble where they living in that they did not think people would consider that a low-rent thing to do?
In any event, good move, Nats, even if I cannot even begin to comprehend your thought process.
The COVID-19 crisis had led Major League Baseball to re-evaluate its plans for the 2020 season, though players and executives continue to clash on major issues. But are some owners willing to scrap the entire season altogether? According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, sources report a handful of owners might be “perfectly willing” to shut down…
MLB Rumors: Are Some Owners OK With Canceling League’s 2020 Season? — NESN.com
The COVID-19 crisis had led Major League Baseball to re-evaluate its plans for the 2020 season, though players and executives continue to clash on major issues. But are some owners willing to scrap the entire season altogether? According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, sources report a handful of owners might be “perfectly willing” to shut down the 2020 season, largely for the sake of their teams’ finances. The goal would be to “slash payroll costs and reduce losses” as teams struggle financially in wake of the coronavirus outbreak. Naturally, finances have been an issue for teams across the league as the pandemic impedes their ability to make money. But teams have taken different approaches when coping with the crisis. Some, like the Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals, have agreed to pay minor league players through much or all of the regular season timeframe. Others, like the Oakland Athletics and Pittsburgh Pirates, have slashed benefits (like 401(k)s) and pay. Of course, pay has been a big factor for major league players as the league looks to resume. MLB executives and players have been at odds in recent weeks as players feel the league is attempting to back out of a deal struck March 26 that would give players prorated pay and offer 50-50 revenue sharing as a plausible solution to the league’s financial woes. More MLB: PawSox Turning McCoy Stadium Into Restaurant With Outdoor Seating But, are owners really willing to abandon the season for the sake of money? MLB Network’s Jon Heyman doesn’t think so. “Highly doubtful many owners are anxious (or even perfectly willing) to blow up season to save money,” Heyman tweeted Sunday. “OK, maybe Oakland (based on what it’s done so far). Could be 1 or 2 others, but those are outliers, and as @DavidPSamson points out, it’d take 8 to blow up a potential deal.” Highly doubtful many owners are anxious (or even perfectly willing) to blow up season to save money. OK, maybe Oakland (based on what it’s done so far). Could be 1 or 2 others, but those are outliers, and as @DavidPSamson points out, it’d take 8 to blow up a potential deal. https://t.co/7HF52VlRlY — Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) May 31, 2020 So far, it doesn’t appear to be nearly enough support behind scrapping the season, if there even is any. Whether players and league executives will strike a deal before it’s too late, however, remains to be seen.
Read more at: https://nesn.com/2020/05/mlb-rumors-are-some-owners-ok-with-canceling-leagues-2020-season/
Ukraine’s soccer restart disrupted by positive tests
Ukraine’s soccer restart disrupted by positive tests —
Major League Soccer teams may begin to use outdoor team training fields for voluntary small group training sessions, the league announced this week, with the usual safety measures still in place. Read More
Major League Soccer approves small group training sessions — Toronto Sun
[nesn_embed service=dailymotion src=”https://www.dailymotion.com/embed/video/x7u6bs6?autoplay=1″ width=”640″ height=”360″] The NBA could return soon, but maybe not with all of its teams. Half the league’s general managers wanted to go straight to the playoffs, like the NHL, according to The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor. The other half voted to re-seed the playoffs 1-16 without conference affiliation. 75 percent of GMs […]
NBA Rumors: 75 Percent Of General Managers In Favor Of Play-In Tournament — NESN.com
Part of San Francisco’s new multi-phase plan to reopen the city announced on Thursday means the Warriors could return to Chase Center to practice as soon as June 15. But Phase 2B of Mayor London Breed’s strategy, which allows “sports with no fans” in San Francisco in two weeks, also could soon be rendered meaningless…
Coronavirus: San Francisco’s plan means Warriors can resume practicing soon — Times-Standard
The view from left field 