UPDATE: North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper tweeted Wednesday that as the state moves forward from stay at home orders, sporting events will not have fans in attendance.
In our new normal, you may see more people wearing masks or having their temperature checked. A restaurant you go into may have tables that are only partially full. The only sporting events or concerts that you may be able to watch for awhile will have no in-person crowds.
— Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) April 15, 2020
ORIGINAL POST: Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and one of the leading figures in the country’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic, told Snapchat’s Peter Hamby that he believes sports could return this summer—but only under certain conditions.
Fauci said sports could potentially return safely without fans if players are isolated in hotels and tested frequently for the coronavirus.
“There’s a way of doing that,” Fauci said. “Nobody comes to the stadium. Put [the players] in big hotels, wherever you want to play, keep them very well surveilled. … Have them tested every single week and make sure they don’t wind up infecting each other or their family and just let them play the season out.”
Major League Baseball had discussed moving all 30 teams to Phoenix, Arizona and playing games in empty ballparks while players stayed in local hotels. A possible plan to start the 2020 season is still in the early stages.
The NHL and NBA have also reportedly considered holding games in a single location.