CDC offers new guidance for organizers of mass gatherings, including sporting events

Sports fans everywhere got some discouraging news on Sunday.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) shared new guidelines on mass gatherings that got the attention of sports media members everywhere. The CDC is now recommending that organizers “cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the United States” for the next eight weeks due to the coronavirus outbreak. Sporting events are specifically referenced in the CDC’s examples of mass gatherings.

The SEC recently suspended all sports activities (meetings, practices, games, etc) until at least April 15. The new eight-week guideline suggests that suspension will now be extended until after May 10.

The CDC notes that “This recommendation does not apply to the day to day operation of organizations such as schools, institutes of higher learning, or businesses.” While football practices would be held by schools, it is being widely interpreted that football practices will be considered gatherings of more than 50 people.

College football, basketball and baseball fans may become NBA fans out of necessity. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the league could resume with games in arenas without fans.

CDC recommendation of no events of 50-plus people for next two months comes as a number of NBA owners and executives increasingly believe a best case scenario is a mid-to-late June return to play — with no fans. League’s scouting for possible arena dates all the way thru August.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 15, 2020

SDS Staff

Saturday Down South reports and comments on the news around the Southeastern Conference as well as larger college football topics.