The Associated Press canvassed major sports around the world asking what the plan was to return to action. Most leagues gave aggressive and optimistic plans to start play within weeks, while fall sports said they plan to start on schedule.
Key stakeholders confirmed, however, that they have less optimistic backup plans. Some of the options include, holding the basketball and hockey playoffs in September, kicking off college football in the spring of 2021 and holding votes to determine champions, promotions and relegations in some soccer leagues.
Although sports leagues talk publicly about their desire to return to competition before summer, those are best-case scenarios. The Associated Press interviewed more than 20 policymakers, coaches and players across the globe for their assessments of the situation. They all conceded that sports may not restart for months, if at all this year. Most agree that what's needed is a drastic ramp-up in testing, a vaccine or some type of improved treatment to make players feel safe to compete.