The NFL plans on releasing its full 17-week schedule for the 2020 season next week. It’s going to be somewhat interesting how it looks given the current COVID-19 pandemic plaguing the United States.
We’ve seen the NFL forge ahead with its off-season program while other sports have suspended their seasons. That includes the highly-successful 2020 NFL Draft.
It now looks like Commissioner Roger Goodell and Co. will continue to do their own thing in comparison to the rest of the sports world in planning for the 2020 season.
“One option not on the table, a source told ESPN, is gathering players at a centralized location to execute a season,” Jeremy Fowler reported. “The NBA and Major League Baseball have discussed playing at a neutral site such as Walt Disney World, Las Vegas or Arizona, but the NFL doesn’t plan to do that.”
With states on their own as it relates to phased reopening amid the pandemic, this could get a bit murky. An example here would be Texas opening up its economy on Friday. In comparison, California Governor Gavin Newsom has made it clear that sports returning would be one of the last things to happen in his state. At the very least, Newsom does not see fans being in attendance for sporting events at any point this year.
As you might already know, MLB and the NBA are looking to resume their seasons at neutral locations. Major League Baseball previously pitched the idea of playing in Arizona. Meanwhile, the NBA is considering both Orlando and Las Vegas as options.
The good news here for the NFL is that it’s not as pressing of a concern with the season not slated to start until September. The league can release its schedule and amend it accordingly based on both the advice of the medical community and the reality on the ground when it comes to the pandemic.