One year after Covid-19 sent sport across North America grinding to a halt, professional leagues and tours are inching back towards normalcy after absorbing a multi-billion-dollar financial hit.

Twelve months ago on March 11, NBA commissioner Adam Silver sent shockwaves across the sporting world after dramatically halting the season following confirmation of Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert's positive test.

The NBA decision triggered a domino effect, with baseball, soccer, golf, ice hockey and other sports swiftly following suit either by suspending their seasons or cancelling events altogether.

A year after the start of the shutdown, US leagues are continuing to count the cost of the pandemic as they adjust to the new realities of sport in the age of Covid-19.

The NBA has reached the halfway point of its abbreviated 2020-2021 season after losing an estimated $1.2 billion through its interrupted 2019-2020 campaign, with a $4 billion loss projected for 2020-2021.

NBA chief Silver however is hopeful that the worst may be over, noting that next season may resemble something like a return to normality as more Americans get vaccinated against Covid-19 and fans return to arenas.

"I'm fairly optimistic at this point that we will be able to start on time," Silver said ahead of Sunday's All-Star game.

"If vaccines continue on the pace they are, and they continue to be as effective as they have been against the virus and its variants, we're hopeful that we'll have relatively full arenas next season."

Silver added that despite losses he described as "considerable", the "long-term health of the league is very solid."

<h2>- Baseball revenues hit -</h2>

Major League Baseball, meanwhile, is also counting the cost of coronavirus. The league slashed its 2020 season from 162 games to 60, finally starting in late July before wrapping the World Series in October.

Although fans were allowed to return for the late stages of last year's playoffs, regular season games in 2020 took place in empty arenas, denying clubs game day revenue and contributing to collective losses estimated by MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred at around $2.8-$3 billion.

A full 162-game regular season is planned when the 2021 campaign gets under way on April 1, but spectator access will vary depending on city and state health regulations where each team is based.

The World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers will only be allowed a maximum of 100 fans at Dodger Stadium under current rules; the St. Louis Cardinals have been approved to allow 14,500 spectators.

Major League Soccer is bracing for another hefty financial loss after taking a $1 billion hit in 2020.

MLS was halted just two weeks into its new season last year, returning with a tournament staged in a bubble in environment in Florida before the regular season resumed in August.

"We are forecasted to lose pretty close to $1 billion, if not $1 billion (exactly), that we have been talking about," Garber said in February. "When you don't have fans for the majority of your season, it's just pure math."

The National Football League, meanwhile, provided a template for professional leagues in North America by completing its season in February with the Super Bowl in Tampa.

A robust testing program and strict health and safety protocols allowed the league to fulfill all of its 256 regular season games and playoff schedule successfully.

A crowd of 25,000 fans, including several thousand vaccinated healthcare workers invited as guests, attended last month's Super Bowl, but NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell admits it is unclear what fan attendance may look like when the 2021 season kicks off next September.

<h2>- 'They got lucky' -</h2>

"One of the things that I think I have learned and I think all of us have learned is try not to project too far in advance because it's difficult to do," Goodell said. "I know this: We've learned to operate in a very difficult environment. We have found solutions, and we'll do it again."

Zach Binney, an epidemiologist at Oxford College of Emory University in Atlanta, believes that major US sports "did some really good things" as they plotted a return from Covid-19.

"The NBA, Major League Baseball and the NFL all found various ways to bring sports back without having a lot of cases among their players and staff," Binney told AFP. "The various models were quite strong on that front."

Binney noted however that some NFL and college football teams allowed large numbers of fans back into arenas before being certain it was safe to do so.

"I think they were reckless and got lucky," Binney said.

Other aspects of the US sporting landscape, meanwhile, shifted in more profound ways by the pandemic.

In almost every major sport, television ratings were down sharply, sometimes by striking margins.

The NBA finals ratings nosedived by 51%, while the battle for ice hockey's Stanley Cup cratered by 61%. The US Open tennis tournament slumped by 45% and even February's dream NFL Super Bowl pitting Tom Brady against Patrick Mahomes drew its lowest audience since 2006.

In college sports meanwhile, budget shortfalls caused by the pandemic have led to the elimination of more than 350 sports programs -- the vast majority in Olympic sports including athletics, swimming and volleyball.

One year after Covid-19 sent sport across North America grinding to a halt, professional leagues and tours are inching back towards normalcy after absorbing a multi-billion-dollar financial hit.

One year after Covid-19 sent sport across North America grinding to a halt, professional leagues and tours are inching back towards normalcy after absorbing a multi-billion-dollar financial hit. Twelve months ago on March 11, NBA commissioner Adam Silver sent shockwaves across the sporting world after dramatically halting the season following confirmation of Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert's positive test. The NBA decision triggered a domino effect, with baseball, soccer, golf, ice hockey and other sports swiftly following suit either by suspending their seasons or cancelling events altogether. A year after the start of the shutdown, US leagues are continuing to count the cost of the pandemic as they adjust to the new realities of sport in the age of Covid-19. The NBA has reached the halfway point of its abbreviated 2020-2021 season after losing an estimated $1.2 billion through its interrupted 2019-2020 campaign, with a $4 billion loss projected for 2020-2021. NBA chief Silver however is hopeful that the worst may be over, noting that next season may resemble something like a return to normality as more Americans get vaccinated against Covid-19 and fans return to arenas. "I'm fairly optimistic at this point that we will be able to start on time," Silver said ahead of Sunday's All-Star game. "If vaccines continue on the pace they are, and they continue to be as effective as they have been against the virus and its variants, we're hopeful that we'll have relatively full arenas next season." Silver added that despite losses he described as "considerable", the "long-term health of the league is very solid." - Baseball revenues hit - Major League Baseball, meanwhile, is also counting the cost of coronavirus. The league slashed its 2020 season from 162 games to 60, finally starting in late July before wrapping the World Series in October. Although fans were allowed to return for the late stages of last year's playoffs, regular season games in 2020 took place in empty arenas, denying clubs game day revenue and contributing to collective losses estimated by MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred at around $2.8-$3 billion. A full 162-game regular season is planned when the 2021 campaign gets under way on April 1, but spectator access will vary depending on city and state health regulations where each team is based. The World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers will only be allowed a maximum of 100 fans at Dodger Stadium under current rules; the St. Louis Cardinals have been approved to allow 14,500 spectators. Major League Soccer is bracing for another hefty financial loss after taking a $1 billion hit in 2020. MLS was halted just two weeks into its new season last year, returning with a tournament staged in a bubble in environment in Florida before the regular season resumed in August. "We are forecasted to lose pretty close to $1 billion, if not $1 billion (exactly), that we have been talking about," Garber said in February. "When you don't have fans for the majority of your season, it's just pure math." The National Football League, meanwhile, provided a template for professional leagues in North America by completing its season in February with the Super Bowl in Tampa. A robust testing program and strict health and safety protocols allowed the league to fulfill all of its 256 regular season games and playoff schedule successfully. A crowd of 25,000 fans, including several thousand vaccinated healthcare workers invited as guests, attended last month's Super Bowl, but NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell admits it is unclear what fan attendance may look like when the 2021 season kicks off next September. - 'They got lucky' - "One of the things that I think I have learned and I think all of us have learned is try not to project too far in advance because it's difficult to do," Goodell said. "I know this: We've learned to operate in a very difficult environment. We have found solutions, and we'll do it again." Zach Binney, an epidemiologist at Oxford College of Emory University in Atlanta, believes that major US sports "did some really good things" as they plotted a return from Covid-19. "The NBA, Major League Baseball and the NFL all found various ways to bring sports back without having a lot of cases among their players and staff," Binney told AFP. "The various models were quite strong on that front." Binney noted however that some NFL and college football teams allowed large numbers of fans back into arenas before being certain it was safe to do so. "I think they were reckless and got lucky," Binney said. Other aspects of the US sporting landscape, meanwhile, shifted in more profound ways by the pandemic. In almost every major sport, television ratings were down sharply, sometimes by striking margins. The NBA finals ratings nosedived by 51%, while the battle for ice hockey's Stanley Cup cratered by 61%. The US Open tennis tournament slumped by 45% and even February's dream NFL Super Bowl pitting Tom Brady against Patrick Mahomes drew its lowest audience since 2006. In college sports meanwhile, budget shortfalls caused by the pandemic have led to the elimination of more than 350 sports programs -- the vast majority in Olympic sports including athletics, swimming and volleyball.

One year on from shutdown, US sport inching back to normalcy

World number one Rory McIlroy and America's most popular auto racers will nudge United States sport forward this weekend as hope grows for a June revival from the coronavirus shutdown.

Four-time major champion McIlroy and fifth-ranked Dustin Johnson will team up to face Rickie Fowler and Matthew Wolff in a made-for-television Skins Game&nbsp;without spectators on Sunday to raise $3 million for virus relief charities.

"Golf can return to doing things like this," McIlroy said. "We can keep ourselves socially distant. We can keep ourselves in different carts and stay more than six feet away from one another. That's very important, too, taking all the necessary precautions to be able to put this match on."

That's in part because other sports organizations seeking their own returns will be watching to see how well these events handle the challenge.

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) also&nbsp;returns Sunday without fans with a 400-mile (643km) race at the 1.33-mile Darlington Raceway oval, where temperature-taking and masks will be among the measures used to safeguard the health of all involved.

"There will be a huge microscope on how we're doing things," 2020 Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin said. "For all of us, it's just the unknown of making sure we're doing it the right way."

Creating an atmosphere where athletes can be confident they won't contract the deadly virus, risking the health of themselves and loved ones, is key to chances the NBA, Major League Baseball, National Hockey League and Major League Soccer can return, perhaps as soon as next month, after shutting down in March.

"If we get proper testing and we know everyone is negative... golf is in good position to lead the charge back and sports, I think, is important for American culture," veteran US PGA Tour player Joel Dahmen told Golfweek.

Even without spectators, plentiful testing will be needed for players, coaches, trainers and officials when sport resumes, with IndyCar planning a June 6 Texas race and the PGA Tour set for a June 11 relaunch at Colonial after stopping in March.

The PGA Tour's event plan includes temperature monitoring, virus tests for those above 100.4 F (38 C) and quarantines for those testing positive to keep events in a secure bubble, much the same strategy the NBA, MLB, MLS and NHL are studying.

Small-scale events are easier, such as the Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson skins game May 24 with NFL stars Tom Brady and Peyton Manning or McIlroy's Sunday event at Seminole Golf Club in South Florida.

"It has been difficult to witness what so many are enduring over the last several weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic," McIlroy said.

"I'm pretty excited to do a small part to raise some money and some awareness in these challenging times."

Fowler knows safety is a top priority.

"Hopefully it's safe enough to move forward," Fowler said. "We want to make sure it's safe enough and make sure our country and the states on their own are doing well enough to continue moving forward."

<h2>- 'Too Tough to Tame' -</h2>

NASCAR's return comes at Darlington, a 70-year-old oval in rural South Carolina nicknamed "The Track Too Tough To Tame".

This year, drivers must also contend with COVID-19, the virus too virulent to vanquish -- at least for now.

"NASCAR and its teams are eager and excited to return to racing, and have great respect for the responsibility that comes with a return to competition," NASCAR executive vice president Steve O'Donnell.

"NASCAR will return in an environment that will ensure the safety of our competitors, officials and all those in the local community."

Social distancing measures will be in place, and if rescue workers need to help drivers out of vehicles after crashes both will have protection to contain potential virus transmission.

NASCAR staged only four races before the season was stopped, the last won by Joey Logano at Phoenix on March 8. Hamlin won the US stock car circuit's signature event at Daytona for the third time but has had to prepare for a race with no practice or qualifying and more safety requirements than usual.

"Figuring out protocol for me, when I need to be there, where I need to be at all times, just going through that this week, make sure I get it right," Hamlin said of his preparation.

"I'm sure after this first race it will be a lot easier for us and it should go quite a bit smoother, so I'm looking forward to it."

NASCAR has now announced nine top-level Cup Series races to be run under their revamped schedule, all to beheld without fans in the stands.

For many, the usual qualifying procedures will be scrapped. Teams will be allowed to prime engines and make final adjustments to cars on the pre-race starting grid.

Information for mandatory driver and crew chief meetings will be sent electronically.

World number one Rory McIlroy and America's most popular auto racers will nudge United States sport forward this weekend as hope grows for a June revival from the coronavirus shutdown.

World number one Rory McIlroy and America's most popular auto racers will nudge United States sport forward this weekend as hope grows for a June revival from the coronavirus shutdown. Four-time major champion McIlroy and fifth-ranked Dustin Johnson will team up to face Rickie Fowler and Matthew Wolff in a made-for-television Skins Game without spectators on Sunday to raise $3 million for virus relief charities. "Golf can return to doing things like this," McIlroy said. "We can keep ourselves socially distant. We can keep ourselves in different carts and stay more than six feet away from one another. That's very important, too, taking all the necessary precautions to be able to put this match on." That's in part because other sports organizations seeking their own returns will be watching to see how well these events handle the challenge. The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) also returns Sunday without fans with a 400-mile (643km) race at the 1.33-mile Darlington Raceway oval, where temperature-taking and masks will be among the measures used to safeguard the health of all involved. "There will be a huge microscope on how we're doing things," 2020 Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin said. "For all of us, it's just the unknown of making sure we're doing it the right way." Creating an atmosphere where athletes can be confident they won't contract the deadly virus, risking the health of themselves and loved ones, is key to chances the NBA, Major League Baseball, National Hockey League and Major League Soccer can return, perhaps as soon as next month, after shutting down in March. "If we get proper testing and we know everyone is negative... golf is in good position to lead the charge back and sports, I think, is important for American culture," veteran US PGA Tour player Joel Dahmen told Golfweek. Even without spectators, plentiful testing will be needed for players, coaches, trainers and officials when sport resumes, with IndyCar planning a June 6 Texas race and the PGA Tour set for a June 11 relaunch at Colonial after stopping in March. The PGA Tour's event plan includes temperature monitoring, virus tests for those above 100.4 F (38 C) and quarantines for those testing positive to keep events in a secure bubble, much the same strategy the NBA, MLB, MLS and NHL are studying. Small-scale events are easier, such as the Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson skins game May 24 with NFL stars Tom Brady and Peyton Manning or McIlroy's Sunday event at Seminole Golf Club in South Florida. "It has been difficult to witness what so many are enduring over the last several weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic," McIlroy said. "I'm pretty excited to do a small part to raise some money and some awareness in these challenging times." Fowler knows safety is a top priority. "Hopefully it's safe enough to move forward," Fowler said. "We want to make sure it's safe enough and make sure our country and the states on their own are doing well enough to continue moving forward." - 'Too Tough to Tame' - NASCAR's return comes at Darlington, a 70-year-old oval in rural South Carolina nicknamed "The Track Too Tough To Tame". This year, drivers must also contend with COVID-19, the virus too virulent to vanquish -- at least for now. "NASCAR and its teams are eager and excited to return to racing, and have great respect for the responsibility that comes with a return to competition," NASCAR executive vice president Steve O'Donnell. "NASCAR will return in an environment that will ensure the safety of our competitors, officials and all those in the local community." Social distancing measures will be in place, and if rescue workers need to help drivers out of vehicles after crashes both will have protection to contain potential virus transmission. NASCAR staged only four races before the season was stopped, the last won by Joey Logano at Phoenix on March 8. Hamlin won the US stock car circuit's signature event at Daytona for the third time but has had to prepare for a race with no practice or qualifying and more safety requirements than usual. "Figuring out protocol for me, when I need to be there, where I need to be at all times, just going through that this week, make sure I get it right," Hamlin said of his preparation. "I'm sure after this first race it will be a lot easier for us and it should go quite a bit smoother, so I'm looking forward to it." NASCAR has now announced nine top-level Cup Series races to be run under their revamped schedule, all to beheld without fans in the stands. For many, the usual qualifying procedures will be scrapped. Teams will be allowed to prime engines and make final adjustments to cars on the pre-race starting grid. Information for mandatory driver and crew chief meetings will be sent electronically.

US sport edges back from virus shutdown with golf, auto events

The governor of New York raised the possibility Sunday of some major-league sports teams returning to the playing field or arena -- only with no fans in the stands.

Governor Andrew Cuomo said he had spoken to several sports team owners -- he did not name them, but New York's teams include the iconic Yankees baseball team, as well as football, hockey and basketball clubs -- and he speculated that for some it might make economic sense to play before empty stadiums.

Cuomo made the remarks during a daily briefing on the coronavirus in his state, the hardest hit in the US by the pandemic.&nbsp;

He also sketched plans for slowly reopening the state's economy, saying&nbsp;manufacturing and construction firms may resume working on May 15, but any easing would first take place in the north of the state where the virus has been less a problem.&nbsp;

But he noted that weeks of enforced confinement have taken a psychological toll on New Yorkers, and said a resumption of sports competition could help.

"We want to bring sports back, so there's an activity that people can watch on TV," he told reporters.&nbsp;

Cuomo said that while he was no expert on sports economics, some sports might earn enough in television revenues that they could make a go of it even without ticket sales.

<h2>- 'Be creative' -</h2>

"What sports can you do without an audience? What sports can you make work economically that you don't have to sell a seat in the stadium or in the arena?" he asked rhetorically.

Virtually all organized sports in the country -- professional and amateur -- have been halted since mid-March over concerns about the risks posed when large groups of fans crowd together.

There are a few exceptions: World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has been authorized to operate in Florida, where it is classified as an essential service.&nbsp;

Several horse-racing tracks, in Florida and elsewhere, are also operating though before empty stands.&nbsp;

It remains unclear when the profusion of sports teams across this sports-crazed country will again be able to take to the field.

Cuomo said determining the financial calculus of returning to play was not part of his portfolio. But he urged team owners to "be creative -- try to figure it out."

Andrew Zimbalist, a specialist in sports economics at Smith College in Massachusetts, said that US major-league teams earn an average of at least 40 percent of their revenue from ticket sales.

But for minor-league teams and others, ticket sales account for a greater share of revenue since they earn much less from selling broadcast rights.

The governor of New York raised the possibility Sunday of some major-league sports teams returning to the playing field or arena -- only with no fans in the stands.

The governor of New York raised the possibility Sunday of some major-league sports teams returning to the playing field or arena -- only with no fans in the stands. Governor Andrew Cuomo said he had spoken to several sports team owners -- he did not name them, but New York's teams include the iconic Yankees baseball team, as well as football, hockey and basketball clubs -- and he speculated that for some it might make economic sense to play before empty stadiums. Cuomo made the remarks during a daily briefing on the coronavirus in his state, the hardest hit in the US by the pandemic. He also sketched plans for slowly reopening the state's economy, saying manufacturing and construction firms may resume working on May 15, but any easing would first take place in the north of the state where the virus has been less a problem. But he noted that weeks of enforced confinement have taken a psychological toll on New Yorkers, and said a resumption of sports competition could help. "We want to bring sports back, so there's an activity that people can watch on TV," he told reporters. Cuomo said that while he was no expert on sports economics, some sports might earn enough in television revenues that they could make a go of it even without ticket sales. - 'Be creative' - "What sports can you do without an audience? What sports can you make work economically that you don't have to sell a seat in the stadium or in the arena?" he asked rhetorically. Virtually all organized sports in the country -- professional and amateur -- have been halted since mid-March over concerns about the risks posed when large groups of fans crowd together. There are a few exceptions: World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has been authorized to operate in Florida, where it is classified as an essential service. Several horse-racing tracks, in Florida and elsewhere, are also operating though before empty stands. It remains unclear when the profusion of sports teams across this sports-crazed country will again be able to take to the field. Cuomo said determining the financial calculus of returning to play was not part of his portfolio. But he urged team owners to "be creative -- try to figure it out." Andrew Zimbalist, a specialist in sports economics at Smith College in Massachusetts, said that US major-league teams earn an average of at least 40 percent of their revenue from ticket sales. But for minor-league teams and others, ticket sales account for a greater share of revenue since they earn much less from selling broadcast rights.

NY governor wants to see sports teams return, even without fans

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One year on from shutdown, US sport inching back to normalcy

US sport edges back from virus shutdown with golf, auto events

NY governor wants to see sports teams return, even without fans