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It’s not unexpected given the spread of the coronavirus but yet another sports league is officially pressing “pause:” the WNBA announced Friday it will postpone training camps and the tipoff for the 2020 regular season to safeguard against infection.
What the WNBA statement does not say is what the new timetable is. But given the expected worsening of this crisis, there’s really no answer to that question.
“As developments continue to emerge around the COVID-19 pandemic, including the extension of the social distancing guidelines in the United States through April 30, the WNBA will postpone the start of its training camps and tip of the regular season originally scheduled for May 15. While the league continues to use this time to conduct scenario-planning regarding new start dates and innovative formats, our guiding principle will continue to be the health and safety of the players, fans and employees.”
What is not changing is the upcoming virtual WNBA Draft 2020, which will go forward on April 17. It will be shown live on ESPN. Coverage begins at 7 p.m. EDT.
WNBA Statement Regarding Start of 2020 Regular Season pic.twitter.com/5LZe5tpTai
— WNBA (@WNBA) April 3, 2020
The champion Washington Mystics issued their own statement to fans on Twitter, noting “no games have been canceled at this time.
A statement from the Washington Mystics regarding the start of the 2020 regular season.
— Washington Mystics (@WashMystics) April 3, 2020
Full Statement: https://t.co/HTg4feoLs6 pic.twitter.com/YbpnQgo3FL
