Notre Dame is planning to allow students back on campus for the fall semester beginning in early August. University President, Rev. John I. Jenkins made the announcement in letters to the campus community. There was no mention of sports though. The school’s reopening plan includes comprehensive testing for COVID-19, contact tracing, quarantine and isolation protocols, social distancing and mask requirements, and enhanced cleaning of all campus spaces. The Irish are scheduled to open the football season against Navy in Ireland on Aug. 29.
The final episodes of “The Last Dance” have aired, yet ESPN has one more program to show about the Chicago Bulls’ sixth championship. ESPN will show “Game 6: The Movie” on Wednesday night at 9 p.m. EDT, following a rebroadcast of episodes nine and 10 of “The Last Dance.” The game will feature game footage captured by five NBA Entertainment cameras. It marks the first time that the game has been available to watch in high definition. The Bulls defeated the Utah Jazz 87–86 as Michael Jordan hit the game-winning basket with 5.2 seconds remaining to cap their sixth championship in eight seasons.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has given the go ahead for professional sports teams in the state to play without spectators soon. He said Monday that sports could return in the “first week or so of June without spectators and modifications and very prescriptive conditions”.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott says pro sports leagues and entities in baseball, basketball, softball, golf, tennis, football, and car racing can apply to the state to hold events without spectators starting May 31. Abbott also says Little League baseball can resume play with parents watching under social distancing guidelines. Youth sports camps may also open in June.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf says NASCAR can hold its races at Pocono Raceway in late June if the coronavirus situation improves in the area, though the races might have to go off without fans. Pocono Raceway is in Monroe County, which currently is under Wolf’s strictest pandemic orders, or a red designation. But Wolf said Monday that if the county moves to yellow, then NASCAR may hold the two races as long as there are no spectators present and guidelines are followed to keep competitors safe.
The Indiana Hoosiers have signed Khristian Lander, who was expected to be one of the nation’s top-rated point guards in next season’s recruiting class. But coach Archie Miller says the 6-foot-2, point guard will reclassify so he can play basketball this fall. Lander is from Evansville and joins Anthony Leal and Trey Galloway as the third major in-state recruit in the 2020 recruiting class. Leal was named the IndyStar Mr. Basketball last month. Galloway and Lander were both second-team selections on The Associated Press all-state team.
Sneakers worn by Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Scottie Pippen while they played for the Dream Team are being auctioned. The sneakers, each signed by the Hall of Fame wearer, are part of the Lelands 2020 Spring Classic Auction that runs through June 19. Jordan, Johnson and Pippen wore the sneakers during the Tournament of Americas, which the U.S. team won to qualify for the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. The Americans won gold there in the first Olympics to feature NBA players. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the sneakers will benefit COVID-19 relief efforts.
