Memorial Day weekend is a time that is revered by sports fans across the country.
The unofficial start of summer is usually accompanied by a plethora of baseball games, Game 7’s in the NBA Eastern and/or Western Conference Finals, the start of the Stanley Cup Finals and the French Open.
However, this weekend was another sobering reminder that sports enthusiasts don’t have the luxury of switching from a tennis tournament in Paris to a baseball game in Cincinnati. There was the second iteration of The Match which, after a rain delay (in typical Florida fashion) and Tom Brady hitting tee shots into the woods left and right, ultimately gave sports fans their most exciting moment in over two months.
While seeing NFL and golf legends battle each other (and the elements) was exciting, it felt subpar to what we are used to.
That being said, this past week did see continued progress being made across the sports universe on a potential return to sports this summer.
First, the leagues around the world that have already returned have been mostly successful.
The Bundesliga in Germany played its second week of matches this weekend. Once again, the matches were played without fans, but Borussia Monchengladbach got creative and placed more than 12,000 cardboard cutouts of fans throughout its 54,000-seat stadium.
Obviously, it wasn’t able to replicate the experience of having actual hollering humans in the stands, but it looked real on the TV broadcast and was an inventive way of making this new normal feel a little less abnormal.
Stateside, NASCAR’s jam-packed return carried on this weekend with the 61st running of the Coca Cola 600. Despite the innumerable changes to NASCAR’s schedule, the engines started on the same date and location – Charlotte Motor Speedway – as was originally planned.
This was be the league’s third race in eight days, and two more are planned in the next week as NASCAR tries to make up for lost time.
But arguably the biggest developments of the week were courtesy of some of the nation’s top governors. In the past few weeks, most governors said they welcomed a measured return for sports, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis even welcoming leagues to restart their seasons in the state.
But on Monday, governors for two of America’s largest (and most impacted) states gave sports the green light to return to their respective states.
Govs. Andrew Cuomo of New York and Gavin Newsom of California said sports teams in those states can return to play in the first week of June, with Cuomo saying on Sunday teams can begin in-state training camps.
New York and California are home to a combined 25 professional sports teams, so this was a cosmic moment for leagues across the country.
On the ice, the NHL Players Association approved a proposal on Friday for a 24-team playoff format.
Under the proposal, the top four teams in each conference would receive a bye, while seeds 5-12 would battle it out in play-in series.
The proposal still has many unanswered questions, such as when or where the games would be played, but if approved by the owners, the NHL would be the first American league to announce its plans to return.
On the court, it seems more likely that Mickey Mouse can expect a visit from the NBA in July.
On Saturday, NBA Spokesperson Mike Bass said the association has entered talks with the Walt Disney World Co. about resuming its season at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in late July.
Just like with the NHL’s plan, questions remain, like if the regular season would be finished and how many teams would make the playoffs.
But with its three arenas, abundant hotels and a supportive governor, the plan seems almost too good to pass up.
While the NHL and NBA released good news this week, a comeback on the diamond continues to be murky.
The league and the MLB Players Association are still currently in talks over how to play a season given the circumstances.
It sounds easy enough, but unlike the NBA, where many of its players have expressed interest in returning, both sides are divided over safety and money.
Despite the roadblocks, many are still hopeful that come the first week of July, Mike Trout and Mookie Betts will be swinging for the fences once again.
Follow Noah on Twitter @Noah_ram1 and contact him at nram@alligator.org
FILE - In this Oct. 23, 2019, file photo, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver speaks during a news conference at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City. Something is finally clear in the uncertain NBA. Players believe they’re going to play games again this season. The obvious questions like how, where and when remain unanswered. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
Noah is a third year journalism-sports and media student from Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. He has been with The Alligator since Spring 2019 and has covered men’s and women’s tennis, gymnastics and volleyball. When he isn’t on his beat, Noah is usually sadden over his beloved South Florida sports teams, such as the Heat and Dolphins.
