PHOENIX — Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has opened the door for professional sports to return to the state.
Ducey said Tuesday that professional sports, including MLB, the NBA, the NHL and the NFL, can resume without fans Saturday. The state is starting to reopen during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, with Ducey saying on social media that Arizona is “trending in the right direction.”
The governor said he has had discussions with “leaders of some of these leagues” but did not say which ones or elaborate on what activities might take place in Arizona. Last month, he said he had spoken with Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred and was open to hosting games.
Other sports such as basketball and hockey have considered playing the remainder of their regular seasons in hubs, with several teams playing in one location.
“It would be, at this point in time, according to the CDC guidelines, without fans,” Ducey said at a news conference. Citing his public health director, he said, “We could do that safely in the state of Arizona beginning May 16.”
