NHL faces hurdle over border issue

The NHL is still more than a week away from determining a return-to-play format, The Associated Press reported Tuesday.

And what that plan resembles could be complicated further should the U.S. and Canada extend border restrictions to non-essential travel into July.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that border restrictions will stay in effect through June 21. This marks the second time the restrictions have been extended since first being put into place March 18 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“I am hopeful that today’s announcement will not have a material impact on our return to play discussions and timeline,” NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly wrote in an email.

Though the NHL has left open the possibility of having training camps open as late as early August, it was unclear what effect further border restrictions will have on a league with seven of its 31 teams based in Canada.

Baseball: The Angels will implement furloughs across their organization starting June 1, becoming the latest team to take steps against the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Colleges: The number of teams facing postseason bans because of low scores on the NCAA’s Academic Progress Rate nearly doubled in one year. Fifteen teams face the most severe sanction next season or the season after compared with eight in 2019-20. Stephen F. Austin and Alabama A&M each had three teams on the list. Any teams posting a four-year score below 930, which predicts about a 50% graduation rate, can be penalized. Scores are based on academic eligibility, graduation and retention.

NBA: The last two episodes of the 10-part Michael Jordan documentary “The Last Dance”, shown over the last five Sunday nights, averaged 5.9 million viewers, the Nielsen company said. It was simulcast on ESPN and ESPN2. It’s the highest-rated documentary project ever for the sports network.

NFL: Changes designed to enhance opportunities for minorities to get executive, head coaching and coordinator positions were passed Tuesday by NFL owners. They include addendums to the Rooney Rule, which has fallen short in its goal of increasing diversity in the league. All clubs will now be required to interview at least two minority candidates from outside the organization for head coach vacancies; at least one minority candidate for any of the three coordinator vacancies; and at least one external minority candidate for senior football operations or GM positions.

Soccer: The Premier League’s first wave of mass coronavirus testing of players and staff found six people infected at three of the 19 clubs to conduct checks. Socially distant training sessions can begin, without the involvement of the six people with COVID-19 who have to self-isolate for seven days. The league hopes to return to competition in empty stadiums next mont.