EPL clubs can play at own stadiums

Premier League clubs could be allowed to complete the season at their own stadiums after police pulled back on their insistence that neutral venues were the only safe way of staging games during the coronavirus pandemic.

The league’s leadership held talks with police on Monday night after being told by the 20 clubs that they wanted to be able to play at home, even though fans will not be allowed inside.

Mark Roberts, the head of football policing in England, had been concerned supporters would still gather outside stadiums and place an additional burden on resources as lockdown measures are eased.

But Roberts has softened his stance after “positive” talks with the league and government.

“We will be jointly exploring a range of options to identify a way forward, which minimizes any risks to public safety and unnecessary pressure on public services, but facilitates a sensible restart to the season, to support the economic and morale benefits associated with the sport,” Roberts said.

But, with hundreds of people still dying from the virus each day, London Mayor Sadiq Khan said it was too early for games to be staged again in the capital which contains five Premier League clubs.

“Sadiq is concerned about the welfare of players competing in all professional sports, not just football,” the mayor’s office said in a statement. “There are huge questions to be asked how players could train safely, how they would travel to matches and how they could play competitive matches without the risk of spreading infection.”

The government is planning to release a strategy this week that allows players to resume group training even as social distancing is being encouraged in wider society.

It is two months since the last games were played before the league was suspended during the pandemic.

Baseball: The Mariners informed its personnel working under uniform employee contracts that certain employees will have a five-month reduction in pay, but there will be no furloughs or layoffs through Oct. 31. The pay reductions of at least 20% are for staff making $60,000 or more. The UEC covers employees on the major league coaching staff, coaches and coordinators in the minor league system, scouts and performance coaches. Those with larger salaries are expected to take a cut more significant than 20%.

Colleges: The California Collegiate Athletic Association suspended all fall sports for the upcoming year. The NCAA Division II conference currently has 13 members but will lose one with UC San Diego moving to Division I. The remaining 12 members are all part of the California State University system. Chancellor Timothy White announced the 23 schools in the CSU system would use online learning for the majority of classes during the fall semester. The league sponsors men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s soccer and volleyball during the fall. ... Alabama State named former NBA point guard Mo Williams as its men’s basketball coach. Williams, 37, has been an assistant under Mark Gottfried at California State University at Northridge. Williams played for Gottfried at Alabama.

Golf: The PGA of America announced that Southern Hills in Tulsa, Oklahoma, will host the 2030 PGA Championship. Southern Hills, which has hosted seven majors, also will host the 2021 Senior PGA Championship. ... Golf Channel will televise a one-hour special titled “Tiger Slam,” which chronicles Woods winning all four majors in a span of 294 days in 2000 and 2001. It will be shown May 24, two hours after Woods is seen in live competition for the first time in three months as part of a made-for-TV exhibition to benefit COVID-19 charities with Phil Mickelson, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.

NFL: The Raiders plan to sign 30-yearold CB Prince Amukamara, ESPN reported. Terms of the deal weren’t yet finalized.

NHL: Coyotes President and CEOAhron Cohen is no longer with the organization, according to reports. Cohen, who had been with the Coyotes since being hired in 2015 as COO and chief legal officer by previous owner Andrew Barroway, was named president and CEO in 2017.