WASHINGTON, United States, Apr 4 – President Donald Trump said Saturday he believed US sports leagues hit by the coronavirus pandemic would resume “sooner rather than later” but declined to set a timetable for their return.

On a conference call with the commissioners of the major professional sports leagues, Trump told National Football League commissioner Roger Goodell he believed the season would kick off as scheduled in September.

US sports have been upended by the coronavirus, with the NBA, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer and National Hockey League all halting or suspending their respective seasons last month as the pandemic erupted.

“I want fans back in the arenas…whenever we’re ready,” Trump told reporters at a White House briefing on Saturday.

“As soon as we can obviously. I can’t tell you a date but I think it’s going to be sooner rather than later.”

Major League Baseball and NBA officials are reportedly studying plans to play games without spectators at neutral venues to minimise the risks of infection associated with crowded arenas.

Trump, however, spoke optimistically of fans eventually being let back into stadiums.

“We’re not going to have separation for the rest of our times on the planet,” Trump said.

“We need it for this period of time. But eventually people are going to be able to occupy those seats next to each other. I’m not committing to it. It would be great if we could.”

The NFL has so far made no plans to alter the start of its 2020-2021 season, with pre-season games usually starting in August.

However California Governor Gavin Newsom was sceptical of the possibility of sports resuming in August or September.

Speaking at his daily briefing, Newsom warned of a possible resurgence in infections if sport returned to soon.

Asked about the possibility of fans heading to stadiums in September, Newsom said: “I’m not anticipating that happening in this state.”

“We’ve all seen the headlines in the last couple of days in Asia where they were opening up certain up businesses and now they’re starting to roll back those openings because there’s some spread, a boomerang,” Newsom said.

“One has to be very cautious not to over-promise. I have a lot of friends that work in Major League Baseball and the NFL and basketball who have been asking me. I would move very cautiously.

“I’m not here to second guess anybody, but I am here to say this: our decision on that basis, at least here in the state of California will be determined by the facts, by the health experts and our capacity to bend the curve.”

(Visited 4 times, 4 visits today)

%thecontent%%avatar%

%author%

%authornetworks%

%authordescription%

%authornetworks%

Comments

%sidebar%","opedarticle":"","sidead1":"ff","sidead2":"","sidead3":"","homestory":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More--","taxonomyitem":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More------","fixtureitem":"%name1%%score1%VS%score2%%name2%%time%","home":"rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn 1rn 2rn 3rn 4rn 5rn rn rn rn

Down lane memory with Kenyau2019s great Ottamax u00a0

rn rn Footballrn rn rn Sunday, 5th Apr 2020rn rn rn rn Read Articlern rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrnrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

More Headlines

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Premier League stars warn of Sh26 bn shortfall in virus wage cut rowrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Ecclestone says 2020 F1 championship should be cancelledrn

rn rn Motorsrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Liverpool furlough move draws stinging criticism from ex-playersrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Premier League players’ ‘backs against wall’ over coronavirus, says Rosern

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 8 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Tokyo Olympics: FIFA could move age limit for men’s football tournament to 24rn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 9 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Neymar donates Sh100mn to fight coronavirusrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 23 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrn rn rn

Most Popular

rn ntttnttttnttttt

ntttttt
• Latest
ntttttt
• Trending
nttttttttttttt
• Videos
nttttttttttt

nttttnttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttnttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttntttttttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttntttttttnntttttnttttntttttttntt rn rn rn rn rn rn

All Sports

rn trn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Premier League stars warn of Sh26 bn shortfall in virus wage cut row

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Sunday, 5th Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Ecclestone says 2020 F1 championship should be cancelled

rn rn rn Motorsrn rn Sunday, 5th Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Liverpool furlough move draws stinging criticism from ex-players

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Sunday, 5th Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Premier League players’ ‘backs against wall’ over coronavirus, says Rose

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Saturday, 4th Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Tokyo Olympics: FIFA could move age limit for men’s football tournament to 24

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Saturday, 4th Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Poll Question

rn rn ntnttnttntt

WILL ARSENAL FINISH TOP FOUR IN 2019/20 EPL SEASON?

ntt
• NO
ntt
• YES
ntt

View Results

ntnn Loading ...n rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Neymar donates Sh100mn to fight coronavirus

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Saturday, 4th Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Star footballer joins row after French scientists suggest testing virus vaccine in Africa

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Saturday, 4th Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Ex-F1 boss to be father again at age of 89

rn rn rn Motorsrn rn Saturday, 4th Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Joshua’s heavyweight title defence postponed by coronavirus

rn rn rn Boxingrn rn Saturday, 4th Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Premier League clubs lobby players to take 30 percent pay hit

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Friday, 3rd Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Load More Storiesrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Sponsored

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Featured

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Premier League stars warn of Sh26 bn shortfall in virus wage cut rowrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 5th Apr 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Ecclestone says 2020 F1 championship should be cancelledrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 5th Apr 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Bryant heads 2020 Hall of Fame honoreesrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 5th Apr 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Liverpool furlough move draws stinging criticism from ex-playersrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 5th Apr 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Xavi donates Sh100 mn to Barcelona hospitalrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 5th Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnttt","sidebar":"rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrnrn rn rn rntrn rn t

Most Popular

rn ntttnttttnttttt

ntttttt
• Latest
ntttttt
• Trending
nttttttttttttt
• Videos
nttttttttttt

nttttnttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttnttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttntttttttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttntttttttnntttttnttttntttttttntt rn rn rn rn trn rn rnrn rn rn rn t

Featured

rn rn trn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Premier League stars warn of Sh26 bn shortfall in virus wage cut rowrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 5th Apr 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Ecclestone says 2020 F1 championship should be cancelledrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 5th Apr 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Bryant heads 2020 Hall of Fame honoreesrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 5th Apr 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Liverpool furlough move draws stinging criticism from ex-playersrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 5th Apr 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Xavi donates Sh100 mn to Barcelona hospitalrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 5th Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn rn rn trn rn rn rn","articleerror":"

Oops...Something broke on our end

"},"messages":{"accessdenied":"Access to the account has been denied ","httperror":"Oops, something went wrong...please try again","contactgoogle":"Contacting Google","firsttime":"Seems this is your first time with this signin system. Please wait as we get your name","signinsuccess":"Cool. You're now signed in. This signin will close automatically now","pendingrequest":"Still communicating with the server","signedout":"Seems you were signed out. Try submitting again after you've been signed in","trackingerror":"Couldn't track Analytics","xhrnotconfigured":"To webmaster: Please confirm the xhr/ajax receptor is configured on the server","loadmore":"Load more stories"}}; /* ]]> */