On Saturday afternoon, President Donald Trump held a conference call with all major-league sports commissioners discussing the all-of-America response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Commissioner Gary Bettman was on the call for the NHL. President Trump recognized the “good work” done teams and players in their communities, the workforce, and the fanbase.
President Trump’s call with sports league commissioners has wrapped up.
White House spokesman Judd Deere says the commissioners “thanked President Trump for his national leadership and for his interest in the sports industry.”Full statement attached: pic.twitter.com/SNbEmRlOoo
— Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) April 4, 2020
President Trump hopes to have fans back in arenas and stadiums by August or September, but due to the overwhelming Coronavirus outbreak, medical experts may find that timeline unrealistic.
Donald Trump also told commissioners that he hopes to have fans back in stadiums and arenas by August and September, sources said, though it is currently unclear if medical experts find that to be a realistic timeline amid the current coronavirus pandemic. https://t.co/EFqDryGlTQ
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 4, 2020
Trump on sports leagues: “They gotta get back. They can’t do this.” He says they weren’t designed to be shut down.
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) April 4, 2020
On the NFL side, high-level officials from several teams are preparing to do the 2020 Draft virtually from home and away from team facilities. The official decision from the NFL has yet to be made. The 2020 NFL Draft is April 23-25 and was originally set to take place in Las Vegas.
Pierre LeBrun of TSN says the NHL is “paying very close attention” to this option as well. Although it is still undecided, the NHL may want to have the draft but “scaled-down” such as limiting fans and prospects. The 2020 NHL Draft is June 26-27 and was originally set to take place at the Bell Centre in Montréal. However, at this point, the biggest priority would be deciding the fate of the remainder of the 2019-20 season and the playoffs.
And of course, the NHL doesn’t know yet when its draft will be held. If there’s August playoffs, then maybe it’s in September or October. If the NHL season is cancelled, then a summer draft but in which form, scaled-down or virtual? No answers yet.
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) April 4, 2020
President Trump also believes the NFL season should begin on-time in September.
In conference call with major league sports commissioners on Saturday, President Donald Trump said he believes the NFL season should start on time in September, sources familiar with the call told @wojespn and me. More on call coming at https://t.co/rDZaVFhcDQ.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 4, 2020
The NBA shut down on March 11 and was the first league to do so because of COVID-19. Other sports leagues followed shortly after. NBA commissioner Adam Silver said on the call that they “would love to lead the way in starting the economy” once there was an “all clear” from public health officials.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver told those on Trump conference call that the leagues were the first to shut down and that they would love to lead the way in starting the economy once there was an “all clear” from public health officials, sources familiar with call told ESPN. https://t.co/SXmvzhLtAP
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 4, 2020
In a troubling economy, a way for leagues to quickly get fans back into arenas and stadiums would be working together to lobby for tax credits, says ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Adrian Wojnarowski. Trump raised the idea that it was used for entertainment expenses like deducting concessions and tickets from taxes.
According to NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, who spoke to The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta this morning on SiriusXM NHL, today’s call with President Trump was mostly “informational” than anything.
#NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly was on @SiriusXMNHL and the @HotStoveTFP today on the White House Meeting with pro sports leagues. pic.twitter.com/jO5QpPOUQj
— SiriusXM NHL Network Radio (@SiriusXMNHL) April 4, 2020
Here is the full list of commissioners on the call:
Scheduled participants on call with Trump:
NBA – Adam Silver
WNBA – Cathy Engelbert
MLB – Rob Manfred
NFL – Roger Goodell
NHL – Gary Bettman
PGA Tour – Jay Monahan
UFC – Dana White
WWE – Vince McMahon
NASCAR – John Middlebrook or Jim France.
MLS – Don Garber.Notice: No NCAA. https://t.co/ZqKhN6sdGO
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 4, 2020
By Della Young
