Golf, Nascar put US sport back on track

WASHINGTON • World No. 1 Rory McIlroy and the United States' most popular auto racers will nudge American sport forward this weekend as hope grows for a June revival from the coronavirus shutdown.

Four-time Major champion McIlroy and fifth-ranked Dustin Johnson will team up to face Rickie Fowler and Matthew Wolff in a made-for-television Skins Game without spectators tomorrow to raise US$3 million (S$4.27 million) for virus relief charities.

"Golf can return to doing things like this," McIlroy said. "We can keep ourselves socially distant. We can keep ourselves in different carts and stay more than six feet away from one another. That's very important, too, taking all the necessary precautions to be able to put this match on."

That is in part because other organisations seeking their returns will be watching to see how well these events handle the challenge.

"We have a big responsibility," American Johnson added. "Everyone is going to be watching what we're doing, so I think it's very important for us to do it all correctly."

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (Nascar) also returns tomorrow without fans at Darlington Raceway, where temperature-taking and masks are among the measures used to safeguard the health of all involved.

"There will be a huge microscope on how we're doing things," reigning Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin said.

Creating an atmosphere where athletes can be confident they will not contract the deadly virus, risking their health and that of their loved ones, is key to the chances of the National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, National Hockey League and Major League Soccer returning after shutting down in March.

"Golf is in a good position to lead the charge back and sport, I think, is important for American culture," veteran PGA Tour player Joel Dahmen told Golfweek magazine.

Even without fans, plentiful testing will be needed for players, coaches, trainers and officials when sport resumes, with IndyCar planning a June 6 Texas race and the PGA Tour set for a June 11 relaunch at Colonial.

The PGA Tour's plan includes temperature monitoring, virus tests for those with fevers above 38 deg C and quarantines for those testing positive to keep events in a secure bubble.

Social distancing measures will also be in place at Nascar events, and if rescue workers need to help drivers out of vehicles after crashes, both will have protection to contain potential transmission.

Nascar staged only four races before the season was stopped. It has announced nine top-level Cup Series races to be run under its revamped schedule, all to be held without fans in the stands.

For many, the usual qualifying procedures will be scrapped. Teams will be allowed to prime engines and make final adjustments to cars on the pre-race starting grid.

"I'm sure after this first race it will be a lot easier for us and it should go quite a bit smoother, so I'm looking forward to it," Hamlin said.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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How US leagues are planning their return

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is reportedly eyeing a return which will see all 30 teams based in one or two locations, with Orlando and Las Vegas believed to be the front-runners.

While any return is expected to take place in empty arenas, it is unclear whether the resumption will pick up where the regular season left off in March, or head straight into an expanded play-offs with a play-in to determine teams beyond the usual 16 spots.

The league expects to study outbreak and testing developments for another two to four weeks before deciding about a return to competition.

Major League Soccer (MLS) was halted in March after only two weeks of the season.

MLS clubs derive the bulk of their earnings from game-day revenues, meaning the league will face a brutal financial hit until fans are allowed back in the stadiums.

MLS chiefs are said to be aiming to send all 26 teams to Florida to participate in a standalone tournament played inside a secure "bubble" at Disney World.

Teams would head to Florida next month for one month of training, before the tournament kicks off about three to four weeks later.

The games would not be part of the regular season, and it remains unclear when or if the formal 2020 campaign would be completed.

Major League Baseball (MLB) will see a shortened season starting in early July at ballparks closed to fans.

The season was due to start on March 26 but was put on hold, meaning teams face the prospect of an 82-game campaign instead of the usual 162-game marathon.

The abbreviated season will be different, with teams mostly playing opponents from their own divisions, as well as the same division in the opposite league, to cut down travel and expenses.

Any return, however, would require backing from the MLB Players Association, which has misgivings about owners' proposals to restructure player contracts for this year to help absorb losses estimated at US$100 million (S$142 million) a team.

With the National Hockey League (NHL) shutting down just days before its season was to end on April 4, the league could jump straight into the play-offs if and when it returns.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is determined to finish the season, but stressed that any modified format would have to preserve the integrity of the competition.

The NHL is reportedly planning to structure a return around four "hub" cities, with empty arenas. The New York Post reported that one reopening plan is a 24-team tournament that includes a best-of-three, play-in round.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE