Yahoo News President Donald Trump on sports returning in 2020: 'It's going to happen fairly soon'
President Donald Trump believes professional sports will return soon. With most live sports on hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, Trump believes both the NFL and Major League Baseball will be back in 2020.
Trump made those comments during an interview on “Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson.” Trump was asked whether he would like to throw out a first pitch once sports return. Trump said he didn’t have much interest in a first pitch, but said he thinks sports will be back “fairly soon.”
Sharyl: After 9/11, President Bush threw out a first pitch at Yankee Stadium. Would you like to do something symbolic like that?
President Trump: Well, I've done it already. I've thrown it at Yankee Stadium. I've thrown it at Boston. I've thrown it in Chicago before I was even president. I don't care about throwing the first. The first pitch doesn't mean anything to me. What does mean something to me is getting sports back. So you know, I've done the throw out the first pitch many times. What means to me is getting sports back. I think it's a good thing, and it's going to happen. It's going to happen fairly soon. I see golf is starting now. I see that football is definitely ... I've spoken to Roger Goodell, the commissioner. Football is looking real good. I know it's going to start, baseball. I wish they could have started earlier, but baseball's starting. And no, we're going to have our sports back.
Trump said he’s talked to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, and that football is “looking real good” in 2020. He added that he wishes baseball could have restarted sooner, but that it’s “starting.” Trump finished by saying, “We’re going to have our sports back.”
Both Major League Baseball and the NBA are currently trying to figure out how to resume games. The NBA is looking at a bubble scenario, which would take place in Orlando. MLB’s proposal still involves players traveling to different states and playing in their home parks. Both ideas are subject to change as negotiations continue.
The NFL is hoping its season can proceed as normal. The league is even planning for stadiums to be full, though it will listen to medical professionals.
Regardless of whether it’s a good idea, the United States appears to be moving toward a scenario where sports can return in 2020. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Sunday that pro teams can reopen training camps in the state. That opens the door for MLB, the NBA and the NFL to eventually play games in New York in 2020.
Other states could follow Cuomo’s lead and relax restrictions as professional sports leagues inch closer to playing again.
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