Stanford to limit attendance due to virus
Stanford established attendance limits at 10 sports venues “to allow fans the opportunity for social distancing” as a precautionary measure given concerns about the coronavirus.
The university said that attendance would involve limiting entrants to about one-third of each venue’s capacity through April 15 or beyond that date if necessary.
Stanford has applied to host first- and second-round women’s NCAA Tournament basketball games later this month and discussions were ongoing about whether the university would continue with those plans, Stanford said.
The venues with limits will be for women’s water polo, beach volleyball, men’s volleyball, women’s lacrosse, track and field, basketball, wrestling and men’s gymnastics, softball, baseball and men’s and women’s tennis.
For fans who bought tickets for baseball, softball and the Pac-12 wrestling championships, those events won’t be “impacted by these revised capacities and may attend those events as planned.” Other events will be on a firstcome, first-served basis, Stanford said.
NFL
MULLENS, OTHER 49ERSS RECEIVE TENDERS» Less than two weeks until free agency commences and the 49ers announced a bevy of moves, including one at quarterback. No, not Tom Brady or Jimmy Garoppolo. Nick Mullens, their starter to close the 2018 season, received a one-year tender, as did other exclusive rights free agents including offensive lineman Daniel Brunskill, tight end Ross Dwelley, cornerback Emmanuel Moseley and running back Jeff Wilson Jr.
Offensive lineman Andrew Lauderdale is the only exclusive rights free agent not among that tendered pack. The former practice squad player spent last season on injured reserve (knee).
Also, the 49ers confirmed they’ve exercised the 2020 option on contracts with fullback Kyle Juszczyk ($5.1 million) and cornerback K’Waun Williams ($2.1 million).
The 49ers still must decide what to do with restricted free agents Kendrick Bourne, Matt Breida and Elijah Lee.
Among the players slated for unrestricted free agency are Arik Armstead, Emmanuel Sanders and Jimmie Ward. The 49ers have until March 12 to designate players under the franchise and transition tags.
Mullens, after going 3- 5 in his 2018 starting debut, played only seven snaps last season in relief of Jimmy Garoppolo, whose drawn repeated endorsements from coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch following last month’s Super Bowl loss.
Clubs are permitted to speak with other teams’ pending free agents March 16, and deals can not be ratified until the league year starts March 18.
— Cam Inman
• The NFL Players Association sent ballots to members for voting on the proposed collective bargaining agreement, giving the union a week to either ensure another 11 years of labor peace or sending the matter back to the drawing board.
The NFLPA announced that votes would be accepted through March 12 at one minute before midnight. The more than 2,000 members will have a window of about 7½ days to examine the 439-page document and cast a yes or no vote. Ratification requires a simple majority.
Soccer
U.S. WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM BLANKS ENGLAND» Christen Press and Carli Lloyd scored in the second half to give the United States a 2- 0 victory over England in the SheBelieves Cup in Orlando, Fla.
Alyssa Naeher made three saves to keep England scoreless and extend the top-ranked Americans’ unbeaten streak to 29 games.
Spain beat Japan 3-1 earlier Thursday at Orlando’s Exploria Stadium to open the tournament. The winner of the four-team round-robin tournament is determined on points.
The two teams were scoreless in the first half. The World Cup champion U.S. team applied pressure but England goalkeeper Carly Telford kept the Americans from finding the back of the net. Press’ curling shot from distance into the upper right corner put the United State up in the 53rd minute. A few moments later, Lloyd added another.
Press, the former Stanford star, has scored eight goals in the last eight matches. She had five goals in the recent CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament and was named the event’s MVP.
It was the 123rd career goal for Lloyd, who led the team in scoring last year with 16 goals.
Golf
EVERY, MCILROY TOP PALMER LEADERBOARD» The leading two players at Bay Hill are no surprise, even if they have next to nothing in common.
Rory McIlroy, the No. 1 player in the world who hasn’t finished out of the top 10 in any tournament since September, shot a 6-under 66 on Thursday morning in the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando, Fla.
Matt Every, the No. 309 player in the world whose only two PGA Tour victories in 237 starts were back-to-back at Bay Hill, played in the tough afternoon wind and was one shot better with a 65.
• Teenager Nicolai Hojgaard was in great form on day one of the Qatar Masters as he holds a one-shot lead over Joost Luiten heading into the second round. The Danish rising star made six consecutive birdies to finish 7-under par, while Dutchman Luiten fell just short as he fired a 6-under 65.
• Four-time PGA Tour winner Scott Piercy lost two endorsement deals for sharing a homophobic meme poking fun at Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg and referencing far-right conspiracy theory QAnon.
Piercy this week shared a meme on Instagram on the news Buttigieg has suspended his campaign that included a reference to his sexuality as a gay man.
He doesn’t have a large following on Instagram — just fewer than 17,000 followers — but posted an apology “if any of my recent story posts have been offensive. I will do better!”
That wasn’t enough for Titleist, which confirmed it terminated his contract. Piercy had a full deal with Titleist and FootJoy products. According to Golf Digest, clothing maker J. Linebergh issued a statement that it also ended its contract with Piercy.
Jurisprudence
THREE MORE LAWSUITS AGAINST MICHIGAN FILED» Three former athletes at the University of Michigan filed lawsuits against the school, alleging that a late doctor sexually assaulted them while the men were members of the football and hockey teams in the 1980s.
The lawsuits, which identify the men only as John Doe, mirror the allegations in the first suit filed against the university over Dr. Robert E. Anderson. The lawsuits all accuse the university of failing to remove Anderson despite multiple complaints about him. The men are all represented by Mike Cox, a former Michigan attorney general.