After being locked down for the last two months due to the coronavirus pandemic, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey is lifting the ban on sporting events. On Tuesday, Ducey announced that the MLB, NBA, NFL, and NHL can return to play in the state of Arizona without fans in attendance on Saturday, May 16.
"It would be, at this point in time, according to the CDC guidelines, without fans," Ducey specified. "We could do that safely in the state of Arizona beginning May 16."
Ducey added that Arizona is "trending in the right direction," and it's a necessary time to lift the stay-at-home order. He has spoken with "leaders of some of these leagues" about returning, but didn't say who he specifically has had conversations with. In April, the Arizona governor did speak with Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred when Arizona was brought up as a neutral site to hold games.
Earlier this week, MLB owners agreed on terms for a potential return. In the proposal, it will be an 82-game schedule beginning in early July with 30-player active rosters, 14 playoff teams, and a 50/50 revenue split for players and owners. The players' union is yet to agree to the proposal.
Meanwhile, leagues like the NBA and NHL have to decide if they're going to resume the 2019-20 season or just turn the page to next season. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the NBA plans to make a decision on the season in the next two to four weeks.
