Coronavirus in sports: MLB suspends operations, NHL postpones season

The latest news as the coronavirus outbreak disrupts the sports world. Pull down the page to refresh. (All times ET.)

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What you need to know
(Last update: 3:11 p.m.)

• The coronavirus is severely affecting the sports world after the World Health Organization officially declared its spread a pandemic Wednesday.
• Major League Baseball suspended all operations Thursday, which will delay the start of the regular season by at least two weeks.
• The NHL suspended its season Thursday afternoon. The league hopes to resume play at some point in the spring.
• The NBA suspended its season indefinitely in an unprecedented move Wednesday night. The decision came after Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19. Jazz star Donovan Mitchell then reportedly tested positive for the disease on Thursday morning.
• Most NCAA conferences - including the Power 5 - canceled their championship basketball tournaments Thursday morning; the Big East pulled the plug at halftime between St. John's and Creighton.
• The NCAA Tournament is in doubt after Wednesday's announcement that the Division I men's and women's basketball tourneys will be played with only essential staff and limited family in attendance.

March 12

UFC Brasilia behind closed doors

Saturday's Fight Night 170 event in Brazil will reportedly take place without fans in attendance.

Combat sports halted in California

The California State Athletic Commission reportedly suspended all combat sports events through March.

Champions League fixtures postponed

Champions League Round of 16 second-leg fixtures featuring Manchester City versus Real Madrid and Juventus versus Lyon have been postponed.

NFL teams discussing shutdowns

Numerous NFL teams are reportedly discussing shutting down training facilities, but the start of the new league year will not be pushed back at this time.

MLS suspended

Major League Soccer officially halted play for 30 days due to the coronavirus.

PGA Tour banning fans

The PGA Tour indefinitely barred fans from events beginning with Round 2 of The Players Championship on Friday.

ATP suspends play

The ATP suspended all professional men's tennis tournaments for six weeks.

Raptors in self-quarantine

The Toronto Raptors announced that players, coaches, and traveling staff will self-isolate for 14 days. The club played the Jazz in Utah on Monday.

IOC releases statement

The Olympic flame was lit Thursday in Greece and the IOC followed up with a statement about Tokyo 2020:

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirms its full commitment to the success of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. We remain absolutely in line with our Japanese hosts in our commitment to delivering safe Olympic Games in July this year.

Hoiberg was cleared to coach

Nebraska head coach Fred Hoiberg tweeted that doctors cleared him to coach Wednesday night. He was forced to leave the game and taken to hospital, where he was diagnosed with a cold.

ACC to play tournament games Thursday

ACC commissioner John Swofford said conference tournament games scheduled for Thursday will proceed with restricted fan access.

FIBA, Euroleague suspended

The International Basketball Federation suspended play in all competitions, and the Euroleague suspended its season beginning Friday. Olympic qualifiers in June are up in the air.

No autographs at The Players

The Players Championship is underway in Florida, but the PGA Tour announced Thursday morning that golfers won't be signing autographs or interacting with fans as they normally would at a tournament.

McLaren out of Aussie GP

McLaren Racing announced its withdrawal from the Australian Grand Prix after a team member tested positive for the coronavirus.

La Liga suspended

Real Madrid players are in quarantine and La Liga announced a suspension of play for at least the next two matchdays.

----------March 11

NHL mulling options

The NHL is evaluating its options after the NBA's shocking suspension announcement Wednesday. The league is consulting with medical experts and is scheduled to provide a further update Thursday.

Restricted access at college tourneys

Major college conferences announced that championship basketball tournaments scheduled for the rest of the week will take place with limited fan access.

NFL examining draft plans

The 2020 NFL Draft is currently scheduled for late April in Las Vegas. The NFL, NFLPA, and city and state officials are working together to determine whether one of the league's marquee events can go ahead as planned.

MLB, A's working on solution

The Oakland A's are working with MLB to come up with alternative plans for the club's season-opening seven-game homestand beginning March 26. Oakland and Alameda County have instituted a ban on large gatherings.

Spring college football games being axed

Ohio State and Michigan canceled their spring games scheduled for April 11 and 18, respectively. The Wolverines also announced that coaches won't be allowed to host prospects or go on recruiting trips until April 21.

Sharks to play behind closed doors

The NHL's San Jose Sharks announced they'll play in an empty SAP Center through the remainder of March due to a ban on large gatherings in Santa Clara County, California.

Ohio to ban mass gatherings

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said Wednesday the state will order a ban on mass gatherings. That will affect numerous sporting events, including the NCAA Tournament (games are scheduled in Cleveland and Dayton), the NBA's Cavaliers, and the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets.

Seattle teams forced to alter plans

The Mariners are working to relocate two home series due to the COVID-19 outbreak in Seattle, where a ban was ordered on crowds of more than 250 people. The club's spring-training home in Peoria, Arizona, is reportedly being considered as an option.

The XFL's Seattle Dragons will host the Los Angeles Wildcats on Sunday without fans in attendance at CenturyLink Field.

Teams altering scouting plans

The NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens grounded their North American scouts as the virus continues to proliferate.

NFL teams are also changing their pre-draft travel plans. Scouts from the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles will reportedly sit out the pro-day circuit.

European hockey seasons shelved

Professional hockey leagues in Germany (DEL) and Austria (EBEL) canceled the remainder of their seasons due to the outbreak in Europe.

Figure Skating worlds called off

The World Figure Skating Championships scheduled to take place in Montreal next week have been canceled.

Fed Cup finals postponed

The Fed Cup finals scheduled April 14-19 in Budapest, Hungary, have been postponed indefinitely. No makeup date has been announced.

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