• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) became the second governor in as many days to declare his state open to professional sports teams looking to resume play without fans present amid the coronavirus pandemic, following the lead of Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R) and offering to “find a place” in Florida for organizations unable to play in their home jurisdictions. DeSantis, who has already allowed WWE and the UFC to hold events without fans by declaring them “essential services,” mentioned bringing MLS, MLB and the NBA to the state, which has been discussed as a possible restart location for all three leagues. (Tampa Bay Times)

• The USTA is reportedly taking a harder look at alternative plans for this year’s U.S. Open due to the pandemic’s impact on its usual home borough of Queens, N.Y., including scenarios that involve moving the tournament to either the organization’s 100-court training facility in Orlando, Fla., or at Indian Wells, the site of the BNP Paribas Open outside Palm Springs, Calif. Holding the event, which drew 738,000 fans in 2019 and accounts for about 80 percent of the organization’s annual revenue, would be difficult regardless of the venue because players from around the world would need to travel to the U.S. (The New York Times)

• The PGA Tour outlined safety procedures it intends to implement to facilitate the resumption of its season, scheduled for June 11 in Fort Worth, Texas, including multiple layers of testing for players, caddies and support staff. The measures restrict players’ movement during the events and encourage them to isolate from the public when away from the course. (The New York Times)

NBC Sports Talent All Agree To Take Pay Cuts
John Ourand, Sports Business Journal

All of NBC’s on-air sports talent agreed to voluntary pay cuts as the network grapples with figuring out how to move forward with no sports and a tight ad sales marketplace. The salary cuts are described as temporary and in the 5-10% range, sources said.

Safety protocols include Fox calling NASCAR race from studio
Jenna Fryer, The Associated Press

Jeff Gordon and Mike Joy will call the race from a studio in Charlotte and Regan Smith will be the only at-track reporter for the broadcast team, working the pits. Larry McReynolds, an analyst, will also work from the Charlotte studio.

With Sports on the Bench, ESPN Creates Second Act for Stephen A. Smith’s ‘First Take’
Brian Steinberg, Variety

As part of a new schedule, ESPN this week launched “First Take Extra,” a half-hour “highlights” show that offers the best of the original morning conversation, at 3:30 p.m. Earlier this year, ESPN launched a radio show, “First Take, Your Take,” during which host Jason Fitz dissects the Smith-and-Kellerman banter even further.

Joe Buck: Fox adding fake crowd noise into NFL broadcasts ‘is pretty much a done deal’ if there aren’t fans in the stands
Matt Clapp, Awful Announcing

Buck appeared on Andy Cohen Live! on Wednesday, and said that pumping fake crowd noise into Fox broadcasts “is pretty much a done deal.” Buck also said that they’re looking at ways to put “virtual fans” in the stands for television broadcasts, “so when you see a wide shot, it looks like the stadium is jam-packed.”

Sports TV networks bracing for unprecedented broadcasts in coronavirus age
Andrew Marchand, New York Post

As sports slowly return to action during the coronavirus pandemic, some aspects of networks’ presentation will look the same, while others could see a fundamental shift. ESPN, Fox, NBC, CBS and Turner Sports, according to sources, have experimented with the idea of using virtual reality to enhance the at-home viewing experience, by superimposing realistic-looking fans onto screens.

For NBCU, There’s ‘No Perfect Contingency Plan’ If NFL Doesn’t Resume As Planned
Ethan Jakob Craft, Ad Age

The National Football League released its fall schedule last week with plans for the season to kick off on Sept.10. But, if the season cannot go ahead as planned, for NBCUniversal, which airs “Sunday Night Football,” “there is no perfect contingency plan,” Mark Marshall, co-president of advertising sales and partnerships, said on Wednesday during Ad Age’s two-day TV Pivot streamed event.

How Smaller, Quirkier Sports Are Stepping in to Fill the Live-Events Void
Daniel Holloway, Variety

Cornhole isn’t new to ESPN. But viewers who tuned into the Worldwide Leader in Sports on May 9 were likely to stumble upon a rare treat: live cornhole action. The American Cornhole League’s “Cornhole Mania 2020” aired on ESPN and ESPN2 Saturday, bringing four hours of live sports to a public and a network starved for them.

Rams reveal their new uniforms for the upcoming NFL season
Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times

On Wednesday — after more than four years since their return to Los Angeles — the Rams revealed new uniform combinations that will debut for the 2020 season in conjunction with the opening of SoFi Stadium. During much of the last four seasons, the Rams wore uniform combinations that featured colors and components from their final years in St. Louis.

Jacksonville Mayor requests $2.2 million for TIAA Bank Field repairs and upgrades
Alex Wilson, Jacksonville Business Journal

Mayor Lenny Curry is seeking to allot $2.2 million from the city’s general fund to update and repair components of the TIAA Bank Field. The project is meant to bring TIAA Bank Field up-to-date with the NFL’s minimum broadcasting and safety standards.

NBA drops Spalding as maker of official basketball after more than 30 years
Jabari Young, CNBC

The NBA has parted ways with longtime sporting goods company Spalding, which produces the NBA’s custom made basketballs, the league announced Wednesday. The new game ball will be manufactured by Chicago-based company Wilson, starting with the 2021-22 season, the league announced.

MLB safety protocols: Must finish postseason before second wave of COVID-19 hits nation
Bob Nightengale, USA Today

MLB has prepared an 80- to 100-page document addressing safety and health protocols. These measures are being considered not only as a way to keep players safe during an 82-game regular season, but more important, assuring their health until the last team is standing holding a World Series trophy.

MLB’s 82-game plan presents teams with new set of pitfalls
Joel Sherman, New York Post

“An 82-game schedule means it is not a marathon any more,” Phillies manager Joe Girardi said by phone. “In the past, a team had a rough month, it still had the ability to make up for it over time. You are not really going to have that luxury this year.”

Bill Daly provides update on NHL’s progress toward a resumed season
Pierre LeBrun, The Athletic

The memo that the league sent to the 31 clubs on May 1 made it seem like the June draft was headed toward a done deal. But ever since last Monday’s Board of Governors call, there has been a clear slowing of momentum on it. 

UCLA’s search for athletic director down to two finalists; decision could come this week
Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times

UCLA has narrowed its search for a new athletic director to two finalists, with an announcement possible before the end of the week. The remaining contenders are Nevada Las Vegas’ Desiree Reed-Francois and Boston College’s Martin Jarmond, according to two people close to the search.

Pac-12 releases statement after California’s conflicting COVID-19 response
Dylan Mickanen, NBC Sports

“The Pac-12 and our member universities will make our own determinations on when our student-athletes can return to play and when and how campuses will reopen to students,” the conference said.

Sources: MLS eyes June 1 for Orlando training, tourney to start 3-4 weeks later
Jeff Carlisle, ESPN

Major League Soccer’s plan to return to play during the coronavirus pandemic is solidifying, with the league proposing a summer tournament in Florida involving all 26 teams, sources confirmed to ESPN. The proposal would need to be approved by the MLS Players Association, which is currently in negotiations with MLS over salary cuts.

Spain’s La Liga targets China deals with joint venture
Samuel Agini, Financial Times

Spain’s La Liga is stepping up efforts to challenge the English Premier League on the international stage with a joint venture in China aimed at accelerating commercial deals in the country. As part of a 15-year agreement to be announced on Thursday, La Liga holds a 49 per cent stake in the venture, which will have exclusive rights to sell sponsorship deals for the league in China, with its two partners holding the majority stake.

Serie A clubs want to re-start on June 13 if government allows
Reuters

Italy’s Serie A clubs voted in favour of re-starting the season on June 13 during a general assembly on Wednesday, if the government allows. The Italian top flight has been suspended since March 9 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and, although the government has authorised teams to hold collective training sessions from next Monday, it has not yet decided if and when the championship can resume.

IndyCar season to conclude at St. Petersburg in October
Marshall Pruett, RACER

The NTT IndyCar Series has set October 25 as its new season finale for the postponed Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. The Floridian street course, which traditionally opens IndyCar’s calendar, was the first event scratched from the 2020 schedule in March in response to the coronavirus; the new date falls three weeks after the Oct. 3 Harvest Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.

Ricciardo moves from Renault to McLaren for 2021
Alan Baldwin, Reuters

Australian Daniel Ricciardo will leave Renault and race for McLaren in 2021, the British Formula One team said in a statement on Thursday. The 30-year-old, winner of seven races for Red Bull, will partner British driver Lando Norris and replaces Spaniard Carlos Sainz who is set to join Ferrari as Sebastian Vettel’s replacement.

There are new Kentucky Derby prep races, including possibly Preakness and Belmont
John Clay, Lexington Herald Leader

With the Kentucky Derby pushed back to Sept. 5, Churchill Downs released a new extended list of prep races that will now earn points toward qualifying for the 146th running. The first race in the extended series will be the Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes, scheduled for May 23 at Churchill. Qualifying points have been upgraded to 50 to the winner, followed by 20-10-5.

When will fans be allowed back at PGA Tour events?
Todd Kelly, Golfweek

The John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois, July 9-12, is scheduled to be the first tournament with fans. But that can change. A Tour executive said, from the John Deere on, tournament organizers are working on three options of “parallel planning with spectators, limited number of spectators and without spectators.”

Twitch co-founder Kevin Lin invests in Sleeper fantasy platform
Ed Dixon, SportsPro Media

Fantasy sports startup Sleeper has raised US$20 million in its latest funding round to help it expand into the fantasy esports and gaming market. Venture capital firm Andreesen Horowitz led the round, with notable investors including Twitch co-founder Kevin Lin and National Football League (NFL) star JuJu Smith-Schuster. Perennial National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star Kevin Durant had already invested in Sleeper during an earlier round.

Pro League’s roaring audience growth is welcome damage limitation for ESL
Callum McCarthy, SportBusiness

Even as Covid-19 took a terrible toll on ESL’s event business, it helped the 11th season of the Pro League become the most viewed in its history. Chinese platforms excluded, ESL reported that the Pro League’s average audience across both the European and North American divisions was up 215 per cent.

Cloud9 launches mental health campaign with Kaiser Permanente
Jay Massaad, Esports Insider

North American organisation Cloud9 has partnered with health care provider Kaiser Permanente to launch a mental health campaign. The initiative, dubbed ‘Presence of Mind,’ aims to utilise gaming as a platform to reach the youth and young adults for conversations that address mental health and wellness, according to a release.

XFL’s Vince McMahon Claims Oliver Luck Fired For “Gross Neglect”
Ben Fischer, Sports Business Journal

Lawyers for XFL Owner Vince McMahon say former league Commissioner & CEO Oliver Luck was fired for “gross neglect” of his job during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, personal use of a league-issued iPhone and signing former NFLer Antonio Callaway despite McMahon’s orders to avoid players with troubled legal histories. In an affidavit, Luck revealed that he is seeking $23.8M, the amount remaining from a contract that originally called for $7M annually over 5 years, plus extensive benefits.

Former surgeon general Vivek Murthy: ‘It’s really important to make sure our sports leagues open up safely’
Jeff Zillgitt, USA Today

Dr. Vivek Murthy in an informal role advises the NBA and is also on the board of directors at the NCAA and USOPD, helping those organizations navigate an unprecedented time as sports leagues look to play again. “We have to keep an evolving body of science in my mind as for developing a strategy for opening up, and that’s also what makes dealing with COVID-19 so challenging for the sports world,” Murthy said.

iHeartRadio veteran preaching peace from sports pulpit
W. Scott Bailey, San Antonio Business Journal

Sports talk by its nature can be cynical and crass. These days, Chris Duel said he is making a special effort to take a higher road in hopes that others might follow.