California Governor Gavin Newsom says sports can return to the state in June
Last week, California Governor Gavin Newsom said that sports might now be able to return until 2021 at the earliest. Today, in a COVID-19 press briefing, he reversed that position and gave sports fans hope.
California has had one of the best success rates at flattening the curve in the nation, which has led to Newsom opening up the possibility of professional sports returning to the state with significant changes.
The governor says that he has been in contact with the commissioners of the major professional sports leagues discussing how they can resume playing in the state. There are obviously significant hurdles to overcome, including regular testing, isolation and sanitation protocols, as well as the economic effects of having games with no fans. But with the NHL season on hold and the league attempting to put together viable plans for holding both the playoffs and the draft, this news should come as a relief to fans, players, and owners.
The current playoff plan proposed by the NHL would involve some form of a 24-team format, possibly including play-in games to get the number of teams competing for the cup down to the usual 16. Under this plan, the Anaheim Ducks would not make the cut, currently sitting 27th place in the league standings.