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During a call with several prominent sports commissioners, President Trump said he believes the NFL season will start on time and hopes to have fans back in arenas in August and September
Saturday morning, President Donald Trump held a conference call with major sports league commissioners, which included Roger Goodell (NFL), Adam Silver (NBA), Rob Manfred (MLB), Gary Bettman (NHL), Cathy Engelbert (WNBA), Jay Monahan (PGA Tour), Dana White (UFC), Vince McMahon (WWE), Don Garber (MLS) and John Middlebrook/Jim France (NASCAR).
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Adrian Wojnarowski, Trump said on the call that he believes the NFL season will start on schedule in September. He also believes fans will be able to fill arenas and stadiums again in August and September, though medical professionals may not share Trump’s outlook on that being a realistic possibility during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
ESPN also reports that Silver told the group their leagues were the first to shut down, and they would love to be among the first to help restart the economy once they received the “all clear” from health officials.
On this front, President Trump suggested the possibility of the leagues banding together and lobbying for tax credits that used to exist for entertainment expenses. These included the ability to deduct tickets and concessions from taxes, giving fans incentive and easier means to return to sporting events despite the financial hardships of this current quarantine situation.
Stay tuned for more details on this story as they develop.