Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

UNDATED (AP) — The Big Ten Conference won't play nonconference games in football and a handful of other sports this fall because of the coronavirus pandemic. The league also warned that it was "prepared not to play" at all to keep its athletes safe. The decision affects more than 40 games, including some marquee matchups like Notre Dame against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field. The announcement came a day after the Ivy League called off all fall sports. Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith says he is "very concerned" about the season.

Court filing alleges $400K paid to Williamson family in '18

UNDATED (AP) — The legal fight over NBA rookie Zion Williamson's endorsement potential now includes an allegation his family received $400,000 from a marketing agency before playing at Duke. Prime Sports Marketing and company president Gina Ford filed a lawsuit last summer in Florida, accusing Williamson and the agency now representing him of breach of contract. Williamson had filed a lawsuit in North Carolina to terminate a five-year contract with Prime Sports.

In court filings Thursday in North Carolina, Ford's attorneys included a sworn affidavit from a California man who said the head of a Canadian-based firm called Maximum Management Group (MMG) told him he paid Williamson's family for his commitment to sign with MMG once he left Duke for the NBA.

Williamson's attorney says those documents are "fraudulent."

The documents include a marketing agreement signed by Williamson with MMG from May 2019, a December 2019 "letter of declaration" signed by Williamson and his stepfather agreeing to pay $500,000 to MMG president Slavko Duric for "repayment of a loan" from October 2018, and a copy of Williamson's South Carolina driver's license.

— Full-scale practices inside the NBA bubble at the Disney complex have started. The Orlando Magic became the first team to formally return to the floor. By the close of business, all 22 teams participating in the restart were to be checked into their hotel and beginning their isolation from the rest of the world for what will be several weeks at least. And by Saturday, all teams should have practiced at least once.

— The Brooklyn Nets filled one of the openings on their roster by signing veteran Michael Beasley as a substitute player for the remainder of the season. The Nets will resume play without Spencer Dinwiddie and DeAndre Jordan after they tested positive for the coronavirus. They are also without Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Wilson Chandler. Beasley was the No. 2 pick in the 2008 draft and has averaged 12.4 points over 11 seasons. He hasn't played in the NBA since appearing for the Lakers in February 2019.

MLB releases 2021 schedule; all 30 teams to open on April 1

NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball will open the 2021 season on April 1 and hopes to have every team play its first game on the same day for the first time since 1968.

The league released the full schedule Thursday with this year's 60-game regular season schedule scheduled to begin July 23 as clubs set to play only division foes and regional interleague opponents — AL East vs. NL East, AL Central vs. NL Central, AL West vs. NL West — to limit travel.

Clubs will resume full intraleague schedules in 2021, and interleague play will again align regionally.

The New York Mets will host the cross-town Yankees at Citi Field on the 20th anniversary of 9/11, the first time the Subway Series will take place on Sept. 11. The Yankees will host the Mets during Fourth of July weekend.

Atlanta will host the 91st All-Star Game on July 13 at Truist Park. It's Atlanta's first All-Star Game since hosting in 2000 at Turner Field.

— Baseball has its answer to World Cup soccer's penalty kicks, NFL overtimes or NHL shootouts. And it figures to stir just as much debate as all those other forms of tiebreakers. Major League Baseball will start each extra inning this season by putting a runner on second base. The minor leagues have used this extra-inning format since 2018. MLB is experimenting with the rule this year in part to prevent marathon games from causing long-term damage to pitching staffs in a pandemic-shortened season.

 — Anthony Rendon mostly spent the first few months of his seven-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels changing his daughters' diapers and throwing a tennis ball at a wall. The $245 million third baseman is more than ready to get to work earning his riches, and the World Series winner doesn't think it will take long to get back into championship form. Rendon is getting to know his teammates again after his first spring with the Angels was cut short by the coronavirus pandemic before he even got a chance to play in Anaheim. The most coveted hitter on the free agent market even got his World Series ring this week.

— Cody Bellinger is ready for whatever baseball's shortened 60-game season brings. The All-Star slugger is looking to pick up where he left off after a stellar performance for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2019. The reigning NL MVP batted .305 with 47 homers and 115 RBIs for the NL West champions last year. He says the season figures to be "a once-in-a-lifetime thing" because of the changes brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. 

— Cleveland Indians outfielder Franmil Reyes (FRAHN'-meel RAY'-uhs) has apologized for putting himself and his teammates at risk by not wearing a mask or practicing social distancing at a weekend holiday party. Reyes says he's "learned from it and it won't happen again." The club kept Reyes away from its training camp after he was spotted on social media attending a Fourth of July get-together. Reyes had to be re-tested for the new coronavirus and cleared by Indians medical personnel before he was allowed to practice. He was acquired last year in a trade with the San Diego Padres. 

— J.T. Realmuto isn't worried about his contract situation. The All-Star catcher and the Philadelphia Phillies had preliminary discussions about a long-term deal before the coronavirus pandemic but talks between the two sides haven't progressed since baseball returned last week. Realmuto is eligible for free agency after the season unless the Phillies sign him before he can test the market. He's expected to seek at least $20 million per season. Last week, Phillies general manager Matt Klentak said the pandemic has changed the landscape of baseball. Lost revenue could affect salaries around the majors going forward.

Big Ten to limit fall sports to conference games 

UNDATED (AP) — The Big Ten Conference says it will not play nonconference games in football or several other sports this fall because of the coronavirus pandemic. The league cited medical advice in reaching its decision, the biggest yet by a power conference.

Besides football, the sports affected include men's and women's cross country, field hockey, men's and women's soccer and women's volleyball.

The announcement came a day after the Ivy League Conference canceled sporting events until at least January.

In other developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic:

— The Atlantic Coast Conference is putting fall competitions on hold until at least Sept. 1 due to the coronavirus pandemic, a move that won't affect football as of now. The league announced the decision Thursday impacting non-revenue sports such as soccer, volleyball, field hockey and cross country. North Carolina State and Louisville meet on Sept. 2 in the first football game involving any league teams. Schools won't be able to hold exhibitions or regular-season competition before that date, and it will be up to the schools to determine whether to reschedule any affected events. But the ACC isn't barring teams from holding workouts and preseason practices "in anticipation of a fall season."

— North Carolina State says five people tied to Wolfpack sports have tested positive for COVID-19. Athletics spokesman Fred Demarest says those positives came after the school tested 315 athletes, coaches and staff starting May 29. That's a positive rate of roughly 1.6%.

— NFL teams will be prohibited from post-game interactions within 6 feet of each other so players won't be allowed to exchange jerseys after games as part of the guidelines to help limit the spread of the coronavirus. Players and coaches are not required to wear masks, but everyone else on the sideline is. The league and the players' union still haven't agreed on testing and screening protocols.

— The plan to have fans at the World Golf Championships event in Memphis has been scrapped. Officials announced Thursday that the FedEx St. Jude Invitational at TPC Southwind will not have any spectators due to what they call "an abundance of caution." Ticket purchases will be refunded automatically.

— China says it won't stage any international sports for the rest of the year, apart from trials for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing and a neighboring city. The order from the General Administration of Sports affects at least six WTA tennis events, including the WTA Finals in Shenzhen in November. China also has four ATP tournaments lined up. Shanghai was also due to host two big golf events, the men's HSBC Champions, a World Golf Championship event two weeks after the LPGA Shanghai. 

— The spokesman for the Tokyo Olympics expects the postponed games to go ahead in 2021 despite a recent poll in Japan in which 77% of respondents said they did not believe the games could be held next year. The poll by the Japan News Network said only 17% thought it could be held next year in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.

— CBS will get an early start on its Champions League deal by showing games next month when the pandemic-delayed competition resumes. The rights to the rest of this Champions League season and all of next season became available last month when Turner opted out of its 2018-21 deal for exclusive English language rights in the United States. This season's competition resumes on Aug. 7 and ends with an eight-team knockout tournament in Lisbon, Portugal. The final is on Aug. 23.

— A horse named for Dr. Anthony Fauci has won his first race at Keeneland. The 2-year-old colt won by a length Thursday as the heavy favorite against 11 rivals in the $70,000 race at the Lexington, Kentucky, track. Fauci ran 5 1/2 furlongs on turf in 58.65 seconds under jockey Tyler Gaffalione and paid $4.20 to win. Fauci finished second in his career debut at New York's Belmont Park last month.

— World champion sprinter Noah Lyles was the star attraction in a rare track meet in 2020 held on Thursday that didn't go quite to plan. Lyles lined up in the 200 meters on a Florida track while two opponents started simultaneously in Switzerland and the Netherlands. It was the marquee race of storied Swiss meet Weltklasse which synchronized athletes competing in seven different stadiums across Europe and the United States. Turned out 200 meters for the others was only a 185-meter race for Lyles. And the clock that stopped at 18.90 seconds wasn't a world record for Lyles ahead of Usain Bolt's iconic 19.19. Lyles later tweeted his starting block was placed in the wrong lane.

— The imagery evoked by Dana White's crazy idea for holding mixed martial arts fights on a tropical island was undeniably intoxicating. A few months later, the project that came to be known as Fight Island is real and ready for competition. And while Fight Island is not exactly the idyllic scene evoked by its name, the octagon inside an air-conditioned arena on Abu Dhabi's Yas Island also sits inside a bubble that seems highly unlikely to burst. Fight Island will host four UFC events in 14 days, starting with three championship fights at UFC 251 this weekend.

Bou scores lone goal and Revolution down Impact 1-0

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Gustavo Bou scored in the 56th minute to give the New England Revolution a 1-0 victory over the Montreal Impact in the MLS is Back tournament Thursday night. Bou maneuvered atop the penalty area before a blast that goalkeeper Clement Diop couldn't stop in the match played without fans at ESPN's Wide World of Sports complex at Walt Disney World. Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner preserved the victory in stoppage time with a big save on Ballou Tabla's curling shot from distance. 

— Nashville SC has withdrawn from Major League Soccer's MLS is Back tournament in Florida after nine players tested positive for the coronavirus. Nashville is the second team to withdraw from the tournament. FC Dallas had to pull out after 10 players and a coach tested positive for COVID-19. The league is revising its schedule to reflect Nashville's withdrawal. The tournament started Wednesday.

Tiger Woods to return next week at Muirfield Village

DUBLIN, Ohio (AP) — Tiger Woods announced Thursday on Twitter he will play next week at the Memorial, a tournament he has won a record five times, as he goes after his record 83rd career victory on the PGA Tour.

It will end a five-month break from competition for Woods. He last played on Feb. 16 at the Genesis Invitational, where he shot 76-77 at chilly Riviera to finish alone in last place.

— Collin Morikawa had his first forced weekend off when he missed the cut two weeks ago for the first time in his pro career. He bounced back in a big way. Morikawa made a strong debut at Muirfield Village with a 7-under 65 for a one-shot lead over Adam Hadwin. It was a quiet day of work with no fans at the course Jack Nicklaus built. Phil Mickelson made noise early until a 41 on the back nine left him in danger of missing another cut. This is the first of two straight events at Muirfield Village.

- Dylan Frittelli says it was hard not to feel like an outcast at the Workday Charity Open. But at least he was playing. He was part of the COVID-19 grouping with Nick Watney and Denny McCarthy. All three tested positive for the coronavirus. They all self-isolated for 10 days or more. And then they all tested positive again. Under CDC guidelines the PGA Tour is following, they were cleared to play even with a positive test. Tour medical advisers says nasal tests can pick up the virus, but after 10 days it's no longer believed to be contagious.

Austin Cindric wins NASCAR Xfinity race at Kentucky Speedway

SPARTA, Ky. (AP) — Austin Cindric won the first of two NASCAR Xfinity Series races at Kentucky Speedway, charging past Chase Briscoe on an overtime restart Thursday night for his first victory of the season and first on an oval. Cindric spent most of the first two stages chasing Noah Gragson, the pole-sitter who seemed poised to dominate all three segments. Cindric then took charge on a series of restarts in Team Penske's No. 22 Ford Mustang. On the last one, he went around Briscoe on the outside and pulled away before a last-lap wreck ended the race. The 21-year-old Cindric had eight top-10s on ovals before breaking through on the 1.5-mile Kentucky layout. His only other series victories came last year on road courses at Watkins Glen and Mid-Ohio. 

Ruff to become Devils coach, Fitzgerald stays GM

UNDATED (AP) — The New Jersey Devils have hired veteran coach Lindy Ruff to take over one of the NHL's youngest teams. Ruff replaces interim coach Alain Nasreddine (ah-LAYN' NAZ'-reh-deen), who guided the Devils to a 19-16-8 record after replacing John Hynes. 

The 60-year-old Ruff had been an assistant coach with the New York Rangers. He previously coached the Dallas Stars and the Buffalo Sabres, leading the Sabres to the Stanley Cup Final in 1999.

New Jersey also removed the interim tag from Tom Fitzgerald's title as general manager. Fitzgerald had served as interim general manager since January.

WTA revises rankings system, adds 2 events as return nears

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The WTA Tour will allow players to count results from March 2019 through December 2020 under a revised rankings system when tennis resumes next month. Players will count their best 16 results in singles and best 11 in doubles during that window to determine their rankings points. Results usually count over 52 weeks. Players cannot use the same event twice if it was played in both 2019 and 2020. The WTA also added two events to its provisional schedule Thursday. The Prague Open in the Czech Republic and the Top Seed Open in Lexington, Kentucky will be played the week of Aug. 10.

Texas Tech signs 7-foot-1 Russian center as 8th addition

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Texas Tech has signed 7-foot-1 Russian center Vladislav Goldin. Coach Chris Beard announced Goldin's signing Thursday. Goldin is from Nalchik, Russia. Goldin played last season at Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut. He also played for Russia's U18 and U19 national teams, and for three seasons with CSKA Moscow's Junior Team. The center is the eighth player that has signed with the Red Raiders, including Division I transfers Mac McClung (Georgetown), Jamarius Burton (Wichita State), Marcus Santos-Silva (Virginia Commonwealth). There was also a junior college transfer and three high school signees. 

Student health boss cited for not reporting doc's misconduct

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A former Ohio State student health director faces potential discipline from the state medical board for failing to report several sexual misconduct complaints in the mid-1990s about a doctor now accused of abusing young men for two decades. The citation makes former director Ted Grace the first individual to face such action in the wake of allegations that Ohio State officials long turned a blind eye to misconduct by now-deceased doctor Richard Strauss. He now leads student health services at Southern Illinois University. 

Syracuse University appoints diversity director for sports

UNDATED (AP) — Syracuse University has added an athletic director of diversity, culture and climate in a new position within the department of athletics. 

Salatha Willis is charged with developing and implementing new ways to create an equitable culture for the university's student-athletes, administrators, coaches and staff in the athletic department. 

The move is a response to the racial tension that has wracked the country, including a period of social unrest on campus last fall. There were more than a dozen reports last November of racist graffiti and vandalism targeting Blacks, Jews, Asians and Native Americans. 

Athletic director John Wildhack says the death of George Floyd in police custody also was a factor.

<h2>Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press</h2>UNDATED (AP) — The Big Ten Conference won't play nonconference games in football and a handful of other sports this fall because of the coronavirus pandemic. The league also warned that it was "prepared not to play" at all to keep its athletes safe. The decision affects more than 40 games, including some marquee matchups like Notre Dame against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field. The announcement came a day after the Ivy League called off all fall sports. Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith says he is "very concerned" about the season.<h2>Update on the latest sports</h2>NBA-WILLIAMSON LAWSUITCourt filing alleges $400K paid to Williamson family in '18UNDATED (AP) — The legal fight over NBA rookie Zion Williamson's endorsement potential now includes an allegation his family received $400,000 from a marketing agency before playing at Duke. Prime Sports Marketing and company president Gina Ford filed a lawsuit last summer in Florida, accusing Williamson and the agency now representing him of breach of contract. Williamson had filed a lawsuit in North Carolina to terminate a five-year contract with Prime Sports.In court filings Thursday in North Carolina, Ford's attorneys included a sworn affidavit from a California man who said the head of a Canadian-based firm called Maximum Management Group (MMG) told him he paid Williamson's family for his commitment to sign with MMG once he left Duke for the NBA.Williamson's attorney says those documents are "fraudulent."The documents include a marketing agreement signed by Williamson with MMG from May 2019, a December 2019 "letter of declaration" signed by Williamson and his stepfather agreeing to pay $500,000 to MMG president Slavko Duric for "repayment of a loan" from October 2018, and a copy of Williamson's South Carolina driver's license.In other NBA news:— Full-scale practices inside the NBA bubble at the Disney complex have started. The Orlando Magic became the first team to formally return to the floor. By the close of business, all 22 teams participating in the restart were to be checked into their hotel and beginning their isolation from the rest of the world for what will be several weeks at least. And by Saturday, all teams should have practiced at least once.— The Brooklyn Nets filled one of the openings on their roster by signing veteran Michael Beasley as a substitute player for the remainder of the season. The Nets will resume play without Spencer Dinwiddie and DeAndre Jordan after they tested positive for the coronavirus. They are also without Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Wilson Chandler. Beasley was the No. 2 pick in the 2008 draft and has averaged 12.4 points over 11 seasons. He hasn't played in the NBA since appearing for the Lakers in February 2019.MLB-2021 SCHEDULEMLB releases 2021 schedule; all 30 teams to open on April 1NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball will open the 2021 season on April 1 and hopes to have every team play its first game on the same day for the first time since 1968.The league released the full schedule Thursday with this year's 60-game regular season schedule scheduled to begin July 23 as clubs set to play only division foes and regional interleague opponents — AL East vs. NL East, AL Central vs. NL Central, AL West vs. NL West — to limit travel.Clubs will resume full intraleague schedules in 2021, and interleague play will again align regionally.The New York Mets will host the cross-town Yankees at Citi Field on the 20th anniversary of 9/11, the first time the Subway Series will take place on Sept. 11. The Yankees will host the Mets during Fourth of July weekend.Atlanta will host the 91st All-Star Game on July 13 at Truist Park. It's Atlanta's first All-Star Game since hosting in 2000 at Turner Field.In other MLB news:— Baseball has its answer to World Cup soccer's penalty kicks, NFL overtimes or NHL shootouts. And it figures to stir just as much debate as all those other forms of tiebreakers. Major League Baseball will start each extra inning this season by putting a runner on second base. The minor leagues have used this extra-inning format since 2018. MLB is experimenting with the rule this year in part to prevent marathon games from causing long-term damage to pitching staffs in a pandemic-shortened season. — Anthony Rendon mostly spent the first few months of his seven-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels changing his daughters' diapers and throwing a tennis ball at a wall. The $245 million third baseman is more than ready to get to work earning his riches, and the World Series winner doesn't think it will take long to get back into championship form. Rendon is getting to know his teammates again after his first spring with the Angels was cut short by the coronavirus pandemic before he even got a chance to play in Anaheim. The most coveted hitter on the free agent market even got his World Series ring this week.— Cody Bellinger is ready for whatever baseball's shortened 60-game season brings. The All-Star slugger is looking to pick up where he left off after a stellar performance for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2019. The reigning NL MVP batted .305 with 47 homers and 115 RBIs for the NL West champions last year. He says the season figures to be "a once-in-a-lifetime thing" because of the changes brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. — Cleveland Indians outfielder Franmil Reyes (FRAHN'-meel RAY'-uhs) has apologized for putting himself and his teammates at risk by not wearing a mask or practicing social distancing at a weekend holiday party. Reyes says he's "learned from it and it won't happen again." The club kept Reyes away from its training camp after he was spotted on social media attending a Fourth of July get-together. Reyes had to be re-tested for the new coronavirus and cleared by Indians medical personnel before he was allowed to practice. He was acquired last year in a trade with the San Diego Padres. — J.T. Realmuto isn't worried about his contract situation. The All-Star catcher and the Philadelphia Phillies had preliminary discussions about a long-term deal before the coronavirus pandemic but talks between the two sides haven't progressed since baseball returned last week. Realmuto is eligible for free agency after the season unless the Phillies sign him before he can test the market. He's expected to seek at least $20 million per season. Last week, Phillies general manager Matt Klentak said the pandemic has changed the landscape of baseball. Lost revenue could affect salaries around the majors going forward.VIRUS OUTBREAK-SPORTSBig Ten to limit fall sports to conference games UNDATED (AP) — The Big Ten Conference says it will not play nonconference games in football or several other sports this fall because of the coronavirus pandemic. The league cited medical advice in reaching its decision, the biggest yet by a power conference.Besides football, the sports affected include men's and women's cross country, field hockey, men's and women's soccer and women's volleyball.The announcement came a day after the Ivy League Conference canceled sporting events until at least January.In other developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic:— The Atlantic Coast Conference is putting fall competitions on hold until at least Sept. 1 due to the coronavirus pandemic, a move that won't affect football as of now. The league announced the decision Thursday impacting non-revenue sports such as soccer, volleyball, field hockey and cross country. North Carolina State and Louisville meet on Sept. 2 in the first football game involving any league teams. Schools won't be able to hold exhibitions or regular-season competition before that date, and it will be up to the schools to determine whether to reschedule any affected events. But the ACC isn't barring teams from holding workouts and preseason practices "in anticipation of a fall season."— North Carolina State says five people tied to Wolfpack sports have tested positive for COVID-19. Athletics spokesman Fred Demarest says those positives came after the school tested 315 athletes, coaches and staff starting May 29. That's a positive rate of roughly 1.6%.— NFL teams will be prohibited from post-game interactions within 6 feet of each other so players won't be allowed to exchange jerseys after games as part of the guidelines to help limit the spread of the coronavirus. Players and coaches are not required to wear masks, but everyone else on the sideline is. The league and the players' union still haven't agreed on testing and screening protocols.— The plan to have fans at the World Golf Championships event in Memphis has been scrapped. Officials announced Thursday that the FedEx St. Jude Invitational at TPC Southwind will not have any spectators due to what they call "an abundance of caution." Ticket purchases will be refunded automatically.— China says it won't stage any international sports for the rest of the year, apart from trials for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing and a neighboring city. The order from the General Administration of Sports affects at least six WTA tennis events, including the WTA Finals in Shenzhen in November. China also has four ATP tournaments lined up. Shanghai was also due to host two big golf events, the men's HSBC Champions, a World Golf Championship event two weeks after the LPGA Shanghai. — The spokesman for the Tokyo Olympics expects the postponed games to go ahead in 2021 despite a recent poll in Japan in which 77% of respondents said they did not believe the games could be held next year. The poll by the Japan News Network said only 17% thought it could be held next year in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.— CBS will get an early start on its Champions League deal by showing games next month when the pandemic-delayed competition resumes. The rights to the rest of this Champions League season and all of next season became available last month when Turner opted out of its 2018-21 deal for exclusive English language rights in the United States. This season's competition resumes on Aug. 7 and ends with an eight-team knockout tournament in Lisbon, Portugal. The final is on Aug. 23.— A horse named for Dr. Anthony Fauci has won his first race at Keeneland. The 2-year-old colt won by a length Thursday as the heavy favorite against 11 rivals in the $70,000 race at the Lexington, Kentucky, track. Fauci ran 5 1/2 furlongs on turf in 58.65 seconds under jockey Tyler Gaffalione and paid $4.20 to win. Fauci finished second in his career debut at New York's Belmont Park last month.— World champion sprinter Noah Lyles was the star attraction in a rare track meet in 2020 held on Thursday that didn't go quite to plan. Lyles lined up in the 200 meters on a Florida track while two opponents started simultaneously in Switzerland and the Netherlands. It was the marquee race of storied Swiss meet Weltklasse which synchronized athletes competing in seven different stadiums across Europe and the United States. Turned out 200 meters for the others was only a 185-meter race for Lyles. And the clock that stopped at 18.90 seconds wasn't a world record for Lyles ahead of Usain Bolt's iconic 19.19. Lyles later tweeted his starting block was placed in the wrong lane.— The imagery evoked by Dana White's crazy idea for holding mixed martial arts fights on a tropical island was undeniably intoxicating. A few months later, the project that came to be known as Fight Island is real and ready for competition. And while Fight Island is not exactly the idyllic scene evoked by its name, the octagon inside an air-conditioned arena on Abu Dhabi's Yas Island also sits inside a bubble that seems highly unlikely to burst. Fight Island will host four UFC events in 14 days, starting with three championship fights at UFC 251 this weekend.MLS-NEWSBou scores lone goal and Revolution down Impact 1-0LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Gustavo Bou scored in the 56th minute to give the New England Revolution a 1-0 victory over the Montreal Impact in the MLS is Back tournament Thursday night. Bou maneuvered atop the penalty area before a blast that goalkeeper Clement Diop couldn't stop in the match played without fans at ESPN's Wide World of Sports complex at Walt Disney World. Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner preserved the victory in stoppage time with a big save on Ballou Tabla's curling shot from distance. In other MLS news:— Nashville SC has withdrawn from Major League Soccer's MLS is Back tournament in Florida after nine players tested positive for the coronavirus. Nashville is the second team to withdraw from the tournament. FC Dallas had to pull out after 10 players and a coach tested positive for COVID-19. The league is revising its schedule to reflect Nashville's withdrawal. The tournament started Wednesday.PGA-MEMORIAL-WOODSTiger Woods to return next week at Muirfield VillageDUBLIN, Ohio (AP) — Tiger Woods announced Thursday on Twitter he will play next week at the Memorial, a tournament he has won a record five times, as he goes after his record 83rd career victory on the PGA Tour.It will end a five-month break from competition for Woods. He last played on Feb. 16 at the Genesis Invitational, where he shot 76-77 at chilly Riviera to finish alone in last place.In other PGA news:— Collin Morikawa had his first forced weekend off when he missed the cut two weeks ago for the first time in his pro career. He bounced back in a big way. Morikawa made a strong debut at Muirfield Village with a 7-under 65 for a one-shot lead over Adam Hadwin. It was a quiet day of work with no fans at the course Jack Nicklaus built. Phil Mickelson made noise early until a 41 on the back nine left him in danger of missing another cut. This is the first of two straight events at Muirfield Village.- Dylan Frittelli says it was hard not to feel like an outcast at the Workday Charity Open. But at least he was playing. He was part of the COVID-19 grouping with Nick Watney and Denny McCarthy. All three tested positive for the coronavirus. They all self-isolated for 10 days or more. And then they all tested positive again. Under CDC guidelines the PGA Tour is following, they were cleared to play even with a positive test. Tour medical advisers says nasal tests can pick up the virus, but after 10 days it's no longer believed to be contagious.NASCAR-XFINITY-KENTUCKYAustin Cindric wins NASCAR Xfinity race at Kentucky SpeedwaySPARTA, Ky. (AP) — Austin Cindric won the first of two NASCAR Xfinity Series races at Kentucky Speedway, charging past Chase Briscoe on an overtime restart Thursday night for his first victory of the season and first on an oval. Cindric spent most of the first two stages chasing Noah Gragson, the pole-sitter who seemed poised to dominate all three segments. Cindric then took charge on a series of restarts in Team Penske's No. 22 Ford Mustang. On the last one, he went around Briscoe on the outside and pulled away before a last-lap wreck ended the race. The 21-year-old Cindric had eight top-10s on ovals before breaking through on the 1.5-mile Kentucky layout. His only other series victories came last year on road courses at Watkins Glen and Mid-Ohio. NHL-DEVILS-RUFFRuff to become Devils coach, Fitzgerald stays GMUNDATED (AP) — The New Jersey Devils have hired veteran coach Lindy Ruff to take over one of the NHL's youngest teams. Ruff replaces interim coach Alain Nasreddine (ah-LAYN' NAZ'-reh-deen), who guided the Devils to a 19-16-8 record after replacing John Hynes. The 60-year-old Ruff had been an assistant coach with the New York Rangers. He previously coached the Dallas Stars and the Buffalo Sabres, leading the Sabres to the Stanley Cup Final in 1999.New Jersey also removed the interim tag from Tom Fitzgerald's title as general manager. Fitzgerald had served as interim general manager since January.TENNIS-WTA CHANGESWTA revises rankings system, adds 2 events as return nearsST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The WTA Tour will allow players to count results from March 2019 through December 2020 under a revised rankings system when tennis resumes next month. Players will count their best 16 results in singles and best 11 in doubles during that window to determine their rankings points. Results usually count over 52 weeks. Players cannot use the same event twice if it was played in both 2019 and 2020. The WTA also added two events to its provisional schedule Thursday. The Prague Open in the Czech Republic and the Top Seed Open in Lexington, Kentucky will be played the week of Aug. 10.COLLEGE BASKETBALL-T25Texas Tech signs 7-foot-1 Russian center as 8th additionLUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Texas Tech has signed 7-foot-1 Russian center Vladislav Goldin. Coach Chris Beard announced Goldin's signing Thursday. Goldin is from Nalchik, Russia. Goldin played last season at Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut. He also played for Russia's U18 and U19 national teams, and for three seasons with CSKA Moscow's Junior Team. The center is the eighth player that has signed with the Red Raiders, including Division I transfers Mac McClung (Georgetown), Jamarius Burton (Wichita State), Marcus Santos-Silva (Virginia Commonwealth). There was also a junior college transfer and three high school signees. OHIO STATE-TEAM DOCTORStudent health boss cited for not reporting doc's misconductCOLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A former Ohio State student health director faces potential discipline from the state medical board for failing to report several sexual misconduct complaints in the mid-1990s about a doctor now accused of abusing young men for two decades. The citation makes former director Ted Grace the first individual to face such action in the wake of allegations that Ohio State officials long turned a blind eye to misconduct by now-deceased doctor Richard Strauss. He now leads student health services at Southern Illinois University. SYRACUSE-DIVERSITY DIRECTORSyracuse University appoints diversity director for sportsUNDATED (AP) — Syracuse University has added an athletic director of diversity, culture and climate in a new position within the department of athletics. Salatha Willis is charged with developing and implementing new ways to create an equitable culture for the university's student-athletes, administrators, coaches and staff in the athletic department. The move is a response to the racial tension that has wracked the country, including a period of social unrest on campus last fall. There were more than a dozen reports last November of racist graffiti and vandalism targeting Blacks, Jews, Asians and Native Americans. Athletic director John Wildhack says the death of George Floyd in police custody also was a factor.

Friday Sports Headlines

The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:

The California Community College Athletic Association is moving all sports, even football, to the spring.

The decision announced Thursday was one of three potential scenarios approved by the CCCAA Board of Directors last month.

“I know I speak for the entire CCCAA Board that moving Fall athletics to Spring 2021 is a huge disappointment,” said Dr. Erika Endrijonas, Board Chair and President of Pasadena City College. “However, the need to keep our student-athletes and the amazing coaches and athletic trainers who work with them safe was simply the only option available with the virus spiraling out of control across the state.”

Sports will have a 30% decrease in the maximum number of contests and postseason events will be regional.

The CCCAA has 110-member colleges and approximately 24,000 athletes.

The Division II Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference have suspended fall sports and championship events due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The leagues announced the move Thursday and issued a joint statement, saying that “the welfare of our student-athletes is sacrosanct and must preempt all other considerations when evaluating any return to competition efforts.”

In its release, the CIAA said it would explore a possible modified competition schedule for football, volleyball and cross country for the spring. There is no time frame for making that decision. The league, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, said it would discuss plans for winter and spring sports.

Atlanta-based SIAC said it would also look at moving some fall sports such as football into the spring.

Memphis is cutting 14% from its administrative and sports operation budgets.

The Tigers finished 17th in the country after a loss in the Cotton Bowl and had a game at Purdue scheduled for Sept. 12 cut by the Big Ten’s decision to play only conference games this fall.

Athletic director Laird Veatch also will be donating 10% of his salary for six months to Tiger Scholarship Fund and said men’s basketball coach Penny Hardaway, football coach Ryan Silverfield and women’s basketball coach Melissa McFerrin are giving back nearly $200,000 to Memphis athletics.

Veach said in a release Thursday that he appreciates the flexibility and sacrifices from his coaches and staff during what he called “arguably never been a more uncertain financial period in our history.”

Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior has tested negative for the new coronavirus and has joined the squad for the Spanish league game against Alavés on Friday.

Coach Zinedine Zidane had said earlier Thursday that the Brazilian forward needed to have another coronavirus test after an initial result came out inconclusive.

Madrid needs a win to regain a four-point lead over second-place Barcelona with three rounds to go. The Catalan club defeated Espanyol 1-0 on Wednesday.

Spanish league players have undergone regular testing since the competition resumed last month.

Cleveland Indians outfielder Franmil Reyes apologized for putting himself and his teammates at risk by not wearing a mask or practicing social distancing at a weekend holiday party.

The club kept Reyes away from its training camp after he was spotted on social media attending a Fourth of July get-together. Reyes had to be re-tested for the new coronavirus and cleared by Indians medical personnel before he was allowed to practice.

“I really apologize, because I was not protecting myself and my teammates,” Reyes said on a Zoom call from Progressive Field. “I learned from it and it won’t happen again. I really don’t want to stop practicing. I really apologize and I swear it won’t happen again.”

This will be his first full season with the Indians, who acquired him last year in a trade with the San Diego Padres. The 25-year-old slugger hit a combined 37 homers last year for San Diego and Cleveland and may get some playing time in right field.

The Seattle Seahawks are allowing season ticket holders the option to pause their season tickets and receive a refund for the upcoming NFL season or keep a credit in their account for the 2021 season.

In a letter to season ticket holders on Thursday, the team said choosing to pause a season ticket will release the seats for the 2020 season only, and the ticket holder will be able to purchase the same seat again in 2021.

Fans who choose to keep their tickets for the 2020 upcoming season will have priority if there are schedule changes or changes in stadium capacity.

The Seahawks did not say how many fans would be allowed inside CenturyLink Field. Earlier this week, the Baltimore Ravens said they’ll seat fewer than 14,000 fans at M&amp;T Bank Stadium.

Dartmouth is eliminating five varsity sports teams and several staff positions.

The Ivy League school announced Thursday that men’s and women’s swimming and diving, men’s and women’s golf, and men’s lightweight rowing, have been cut, effective immediately. That drops to 30 the number of varsity teams and will reduce the number of recruited athletes in incoming classes by 10%. A total of about 110 student-athletes are affected. Jobs for 15 staff, including eight coaching positions, also will end.

The change in the number of teams does not alter the college’s compliance with federal Title IX regulations, which require equal opportunities for women and men in varsity athletics, Dartmouth President Philip J. Hanlon said in an email to faculty, students, staff, and undergraduate families.

Dartmouth also is permanently closing its Hanover Country Club, which has deficits expected to swell to $1 million a year.

The cuts are projected to save more than $2 million as the school addresses a projected $150 million deficit caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Planning for a season they acknowledge will be “very different,” the Cleveland Browns told their season-ticket holders they can opt out of the 2020 season without penalty and other plans related to the COVID-19 virus and its impact on the NFL.

The Browns sent a letter to their fans on Thursday that outlined some new policies due to the pandemic. Anyone attending a game at FirstEnergy Stadium will have to follow physical-distancing guidelines and wear “mandated facial coverings.”

The team did not say how many fans will be allowed in the 67,000-seat stadium, which has been the Browns’ lakefront home since 1999.

Earlier this week, the Baltimore Ravens said they’ll seat fewer than 14,000 fans at M&amp;T Bank Stadium. The Browns are scheduled to open the season there on Sept. 13.

If Cleveland season-ticket holders decide not to attend games in 2020, they can retain their same seat location in 2021.

Brazil’s soccer confederation said Thursday its main national championship will be played between Aug.9 and Feb.21.

The Brasileirāo tournament usually starts in May and ends in December but was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The confederation also said it expected World Cup qualifiers to be played in the same dates decided by FIFA. The earliest fixtures are scheduled for September.

More than 68,000 people have died from COVID-19 in Brazil, and another 1.7 million are confirmed to have the disease.

The plan to have fans at the World Golf Championships event in Memphis has been scrapped.

Officials announced Thursday that the FedEx St. Jude Invitational at TPC Southwind will not have any spectators due to what they call “an abundance of caution.”

Tournament officials have been talking extensively with both the PGA Tour and local and state health officials. Executive director Darrell Smith says they had a safety plan for limited spectators but ultimately felt it was best to host without any fans. Ticket purchases will be refunded automatically.

The PGA Tour and the Memorial announced Monday a reversal of their plan for a limited amount of spectators next week in Dublin, Ohio, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This means that every PGA Tour event through at least July will be held without fans since play resumed June 11 in Texas.

The Atlantic Coast Conference is putting fall competitions on hold until at least Sept. 1 due to the coronavirus pandemic, a move that won’t affect football as of now.

The league announced the decision Thursday impacting non-revenue sports such as soccer, volleyball, field hockey and cross country. North Carolina State and Louisville meet on Sept. 2 in the first football game involving any league teams.

Schools won’t be able to hold exhibitions or regular-season competition before that date, and it will be up to the schools to determine whether to reschedule any affected events. But the ACC isn’t barring teams from holding workouts and preseason practices “in anticipation of a fall season.”

North Carolina State says five people tied to Wolfpack sports have tested positive for the new coronavirus.

Athletics spokesman Fred Demarest said Thursday those positives came after the school tested 315 athletes, coaches and staff starting May 29. That’s a positive rate of roughly 1.6%.

N.C. State athletic director Boo Corrigan had announced in early June that the school had begun a schedule of allowing athletes to return in phases to campus.

That plan started with testing of members of the football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball programs who live locally. Athletes who were cleared were then allowed to participate in voluntary workouts in small groups.

On Wednesday, rival North Carolina said it was pausing football workouts for at least a week. That came after 37 positive results among 429 tests administered to UNC athletes, coaches and staff as they returned to campus in phases starting in June.

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane says forward Vinícius Júnior will need to have another coronavirus test after an initial test result came out “wrong.”

Zidane says “the doctor informed me that the test had come out wrong and we were going to repeat it.”

Zidane says the Brazilian’s test was not positive. He says “sometimes there are errors. It wasn’t negative or positive.”

Some players and staff members at Valencia and Alavés tested positive in March. They have all recovered. No player has tested positive since the competition resumed in empty stadiums.

Madrid leads the Spanish league with four games left.

<h2>The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:</h2>The California Community College Athletic Association is moving all sports, even football, to the spring.The decision announced Thursday was one of three potential scenarios approved by the CCCAA Board of Directors last month.“I know I speak for the entire CCCAA Board that moving Fall athletics to Spring 2021 is a huge disappointment,” said Dr. Erika Endrijonas, Board Chair and President of Pasadena City College. “However, the need to keep our student-athletes and the amazing coaches and athletic trainers who work with them safe was simply the only option available with the virus spiraling out of control across the state.”Sports will have a 30% decrease in the maximum number of contests and postseason events will be regional.The CCCAA has 110-member colleges and approximately 24,000 athletes.___The Division II Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference have suspended fall sports and championship events due to the coronavirus pandemic.The leagues announced the move Thursday and issued a joint statement, saying that “the welfare of our student-athletes is sacrosanct and must preempt all other considerations when evaluating any return to competition efforts.”In its release, the CIAA said it would explore a possible modified competition schedule for football, volleyball and cross country for the spring. There is no time frame for making that decision. The league, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, said it would discuss plans for winter and spring sports.Atlanta-based SIAC said it would also look at moving some fall sports such as football into the spring.___Memphis is cutting 14% from its administrative and sports operation budgets.The Tigers finished 17th in the country after a loss in the Cotton Bowl and had a game at Purdue scheduled for Sept. 12 cut by the Big Ten’s decision to play only conference games this fall.Athletic director Laird Veatch also will be donating 10% of his salary for six months to Tiger Scholarship Fund and said men’s basketball coach Penny Hardaway, football coach Ryan Silverfield and women’s basketball coach Melissa McFerrin are giving back nearly $200,000 to Memphis athletics.Veach said in a release Thursday that he appreciates the flexibility and sacrifices from his coaches and staff during what he called “arguably never been a more uncertain financial period in our history.”___Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior has tested negative for the new coronavirus and has joined the squad for the Spanish league game against Alavés on Friday.Coach Zinedine Zidane had said earlier Thursday that the Brazilian forward needed to have another coronavirus test after an initial result came out inconclusive.Madrid needs a win to regain a four-point lead over second-place Barcelona with three rounds to go. The Catalan club defeated Espanyol 1-0 on Wednesday.Spanish league players have undergone regular testing since the competition resumed last month.___Cleveland Indians outfielder Franmil Reyes apologized for putting himself and his teammates at risk by not wearing a mask or practicing social distancing at a weekend holiday party.The club kept Reyes away from its training camp after he was spotted on social media attending a Fourth of July get-together. Reyes had to be re-tested for the new coronavirus and cleared by Indians medical personnel before he was allowed to practice.“I really apologize, because I was not protecting myself and my teammates,” Reyes said on a Zoom call from Progressive Field. “I learned from it and it won’t happen again. I really don’t want to stop practicing. I really apologize and I swear it won’t happen again.”This will be his first full season with the Indians, who acquired him last year in a trade with the San Diego Padres. The 25-year-old slugger hit a combined 37 homers last year for San Diego and Cleveland and may get some playing time in right field.___The Seattle Seahawks are allowing season ticket holders the option to pause their season tickets and receive a refund for the upcoming NFL season or keep a credit in their account for the 2021 season.In a letter to season ticket holders on Thursday, the team said choosing to pause a season ticket will release the seats for the 2020 season only, and the ticket holder will be able to purchase the same seat again in 2021.Fans who choose to keep their tickets for the 2020 upcoming season will have priority if there are schedule changes or changes in stadium capacity.The Seahawks did not say how many fans would be allowed inside CenturyLink Field. Earlier this week, the Baltimore Ravens said they’ll seat fewer than 14,000 fans at M&amp;T Bank Stadium.___Dartmouth is eliminating five varsity sports teams and several staff positions.The Ivy League school announced Thursday that men’s and women’s swimming and diving, men’s and women’s golf, and men’s lightweight rowing, have been cut, effective immediately. That drops to 30 the number of varsity teams and will reduce the number of recruited athletes in incoming classes by 10%. A total of about 110 student-athletes are affected. Jobs for 15 staff, including eight coaching positions, also will end.The change in the number of teams does not alter the college’s compliance with federal Title IX regulations, which require equal opportunities for women and men in varsity athletics, Dartmouth President Philip J. Hanlon said in an email to faculty, students, staff, and undergraduate families.Dartmouth also is permanently closing its Hanover Country Club, which has deficits expected to swell to $1 million a year.The cuts are projected to save more than $2 million as the school addresses a projected $150 million deficit caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.___Planning for a season they acknowledge will be “very different,” the Cleveland Browns told their season-ticket holders they can opt out of the 2020 season without penalty and other plans related to the COVID-19 virus and its impact on the NFL.The Browns sent a letter to their fans on Thursday that outlined some new policies due to the pandemic. Anyone attending a game at FirstEnergy Stadium will have to follow physical-distancing guidelines and wear “mandated facial coverings.”The team did not say how many fans will be allowed in the 67,000-seat stadium, which has been the Browns’ lakefront home since 1999.Earlier this week, the Baltimore Ravens said they’ll seat fewer than 14,000 fans at M&amp;T Bank Stadium. The Browns are scheduled to open the season there on Sept. 13.If Cleveland season-ticket holders decide not to attend games in 2020, they can retain their same seat location in 2021.___Brazil’s soccer confederation said Thursday its main national championship will be played between Aug.9 and Feb.21.The Brasileirāo tournament usually starts in May and ends in December but was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.The confederation also said it expected World Cup qualifiers to be played in the same dates decided by FIFA. The earliest fixtures are scheduled for September.More than 68,000 people have died from COVID-19 in Brazil, and another 1.7 million are confirmed to have the disease.___The plan to have fans at the World Golf Championships event in Memphis has been scrapped.Officials announced Thursday that the FedEx St. Jude Invitational at TPC Southwind will not have any spectators due to what they call “an abundance of caution.”Tournament officials have been talking extensively with both the PGA Tour and local and state health officials. Executive director Darrell Smith says they had a safety plan for limited spectators but ultimately felt it was best to host without any fans. Ticket purchases will be refunded automatically.The PGA Tour and the Memorial announced Monday a reversal of their plan for a limited amount of spectators next week in Dublin, Ohio, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This means that every PGA Tour event through at least July will be held without fans since play resumed June 11 in Texas.___The Atlantic Coast Conference is putting fall competitions on hold until at least Sept. 1 due to the coronavirus pandemic, a move that won’t affect football as of now.The league announced the decision Thursday impacting non-revenue sports such as soccer, volleyball, field hockey and cross country. North Carolina State and Louisville meet on Sept. 2 in the first football game involving any league teams.Schools won’t be able to hold exhibitions or regular-season competition before that date, and it will be up to the schools to determine whether to reschedule any affected events. But the ACC isn’t barring teams from holding workouts and preseason practices “in anticipation of a fall season.”___North Carolina State says five people tied to Wolfpack sports have tested positive for the new coronavirus.Athletics spokesman Fred Demarest said Thursday those positives came after the school tested 315 athletes, coaches and staff starting May 29. That’s a positive rate of roughly 1.6%.N.C. State athletic director Boo Corrigan had announced in early June that the school had begun a schedule of allowing athletes to return in phases to campus.That plan started with testing of members of the football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball programs who live locally. Athletes who were cleared were then allowed to participate in voluntary workouts in small groups.On Wednesday, rival North Carolina said it was pausing football workouts for at least a week. That came after 37 positive results among 429 tests administered to UNC athletes, coaches and staff as they returned to campus in phases starting in June.___Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane says forward Vinícius Júnior will need to have another coronavirus test after an initial test result came out “wrong.”Zidane says “the doctor informed me that the test had come out wrong and we were going to repeat it.”Zidane says the Brazilian’s test was not positive. He says “sometimes there are errors. It wasn’t negative or positive.”Spanish league players have undergone regular testing since the competition resumed last month.Some players and staff members at Valencia and Alavés tested positive in March. They have all recovered. No player has tested positive since the competition resumed in empty stadiums.Madrid leads the Spanish league with four games left.

Sports Update: California CCAA moving all sports to the spring

The league released the full schedule Thursday, two weeks before it plans to begin a 2020 season that’s been delayed and shortened by the coronavirus pandemic. MLB intended to start this season on March 26, its earliest opening date ever except for international games.

The league also hoped to have all 30 clubs play on the same opening day this season, but that was spoiled when Commissioner Rob Manfred suspended spring training in March.

Instead, a 60-game regular season schedule is scheduled to begin July 23, with clubs set to play only division foes and regional interleague opponents — AL East vs. NL East, AL Central vs. NL Central, AL West vs. NL West — to limit travel.

Atlanta will host the 91st All-Star Game on July 13 at Truist Park. It’s Atlanta’s first All-Star Game since hosting in 2000 at Turner Field.

MLB also tried to have every team play its first game on the same day in 2018, but two games were postponed due to poor weather.

The last day of the season will be Oct. 3.

NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball will open the 2021 season on April 1 and hopes to have every team play its first game on the same day for the first time since 1968.The league released the full schedule Thursday, two weeks before it plans to begin a 2020 season that’s been delayed and shortened by the coronavirus pandemic. MLB intended to start this season on March 26, its earliest opening date ever except for international games.The league also hoped to have all 30 clubs play on the same opening day this season, but that was spoiled when Commissioner Rob Manfred suspended spring training in March.Instead, a 60-game regular season schedule is scheduled to begin July 23, with clubs set to play only division foes and regional interleague opponents — AL East vs. NL East, AL Central vs. NL Central, AL West vs. NL West — to limit travel.MORE SPORTS STORIES:<ul>
 <li><a href="https://apnews.com/98974e546cb7b31936899d72c4265cc7">–&nbsp;Tokyo Games face skeptics, 1-day COVID-19 infection record</a></li><li><a href="https://apnews.com/ba7c245486e86e5e7b68948f99fbba5f">–&nbsp;The Latest: California CCAA moving all sports to the spring</a></li><li><a href="https://apnews.com/51a927a6644f154779b7f096affa4781">–&nbsp;Winds of change? Company looks at weather's effect on ball</a></li>
 </ul>Clubs will resume full intraleague schedules in 2021, and interleague play will again align regionally.The New York Mets will host the cross-town Yankees at Citi Field on the 20th anniversary of 9/11, the first time the Subway Series will take place on Sept. 11. The Yankees will host the Mets during Fourth of July weekend.Atlanta will host the 91st All-Star Game on July 13 at Truist Park. It’s Atlanta’s first All-Star Game since hosting in 2000 at Turner Field.MLB also tried to have every team play its first game on the same day in 2018, but two games were postponed due to poor weather.The last day of the season will be Oct. 3.

CBSSports.com followed up with the fall out from the Big Ten's previous announcement.

The Big Ten made a difficult decision Thursday when it announced that it would play a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/big-ten-to-play-conference-only-football-schedule-for-2020-season-amid-covid-19-pandemic/" target="_blank">conference-only football schedule</a>&nbsp;in 2020 -- if it plays the season at all -- amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Needless to say, that decision has reverberated throughout the Power FIve and the FBS as a whole.

Not only have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/big-ten-schedule-changes-ohio-state-oregon-michigan-washington-lead-42-nonconference-cancellations/" target="_blank">42 Big Ten nonconference games now been canceled</a>, other major conferences are now facing the same decision the Big Ten made. So where do the Power Five conferences stand? Let's take a look at what we know as the leagues all figure out exactly what they are going to do this season.

SEC:&nbsp;The SEC had no comment on its future plans when reached by CBS Sports. Missouri athletic director Jim Sterk did tell reporters Thursday that a potential conference-only schedule&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Dave_Matter/status/1281305453004193793" target="_blank">could be decided upon by late July</a>. It's unclear if that time frame has been accelerated after the Big Ten's announcement.

ACC:&nbsp;The ACC is considering a conference-game only schedule, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/BruceFeldmanCFB/status/1281327608756494336" target="_blank">The Athletic's Bruce Feldman</a>. It also plans to work independent Notre Dame into the scheduling format due to its existing affiliation with the conference in football. However, the ACC has not yet come to any formal decision.

Big 12:&nbsp;The Big 12 has not made an announcement about its plans as of Thursday afternoon and appears to be taking the same wait-and-see approach as the SEC. Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said "no" when asked by the&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/RandyPete/status/1281323905488224257" target="_blank">Des Moines Register's Randy Peterson</a>&nbsp;whether any scheduling announcement was coming soon.

Pac-12:&nbsp;The Pac-12 will reportedly move to conference-only games for the 2020 season with an announcement expected in the coming days, according to Auerbach.. That would be an obvious decision considering Michigan-Washington in Week 1 and Oregon-Ohio State in Week 2 are two of the biggest nonconference games originally scheduled during the 2020 season.

CBSSports.com followed up with the fall out from the Big Ten's previous announcement.The Big Ten made a difficult decision Thursday when it announced that it would play a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/big-ten-to-play-conference-only-football-schedule-for-2020-season-amid-covid-19-pandemic/" target="_blank">conference-only football schedule</a>&nbsp;in 2020 -- if it plays the season at all -- amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Needless to say, that decision has reverberated throughout the Power FIve and the FBS as a whole.Not only have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/big-ten-schedule-changes-ohio-state-oregon-michigan-washington-lead-42-nonconference-cancellations/" target="_blank">42 Big Ten nonconference games now been canceled</a>, other major conferences are now facing the same decision the Big Ten made. So where do the Power Five conferences stand? Let's take a look at what we know as the leagues all figure out exactly what they are going to do this season.SEC:&nbsp;The SEC had no comment on its future plans when reached by CBS Sports. Missouri athletic director Jim Sterk did tell reporters Thursday that a potential conference-only schedule&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Dave_Matter/status/1281305453004193793" target="_blank">could be decided upon by late July</a>. It's unclear if that time frame has been accelerated after the Big Ten's announcement.ACC:&nbsp;The ACC is considering a conference-game only schedule, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/BruceFeldmanCFB/status/1281327608756494336" target="_blank">The Athletic's Bruce Feldman</a>. It also plans to work independent Notre Dame into the scheduling format due to its existing affiliation with the conference in football. However, the ACC has not yet come to any formal decision.Big 12:&nbsp;The Big 12 has not made an announcement about its plans as of Thursday afternoon and appears to be taking the same wait-and-see approach as the SEC. Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said "no" when asked by the&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/RandyPete/status/1281323905488224257" target="_blank">Des Moines Register's Randy Peterson</a>&nbsp;whether any scheduling announcement was coming soon.Pac-12:&nbsp;The Pac-12 will reportedly move to conference-only games for the 2020 season with an announcement expected in the coming days, according to Auerbach.. That would be an obvious decision considering Michigan-Washington in Week 1 and Oregon-Ohio State in Week 2 are two of the biggest nonconference games originally scheduled during the 2020 season.

2020 college football schedules: Where the SEC, ACC, Big 12 and Pac-12 stand on conference-only slates

The Big Ten Conference announced Thursday it will not play nonconference games in football and several other sports this fall, the most dramatic move yet by a power conference because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The league cited medical advice in making its decision and added ominously that the plan would be applied only “if the conference is able to participate in fall sports.”

“As we continue to focus on how to play this season in a safe and responsible way, based on the best advice of medical experts,&nbsp;<a href="https://bigten.org/news/2020/7/9/big-ten-statement-on-2020-21-fall-season.aspx" target="_blank">we are also prepared not to play</a>&nbsp;in order to ensure the health, safety and wellness of our student-athletes should the circumstances so dictate,” the league said.

Besides football, the sports affected include men’s and women’s cross country, field hockey, men’s and women’s soccer, and women’s volleyball.

“By limiting competition to other Big Ten institutions, the conference will have the greatest flexibility to adjust its own operations throughout the season and make quick decisions in real-time based on the most current evolving medical advice and the fluid nature of the pandemic,” the Big Ten said.

The announcement came a day after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/968faf851a0d42f82780168ec57d4733">Ivy League called off fall sports&nbsp;</a>and Stanford announced it was cutting 11 varsity sports as it struggles with the financial impact the virus outbreak is having on its budget.

There was no immediate reaction from the other big conferences, though the SEC, ACC, Big 12 and Pac-12 have all indicated they intend to play fall sports, anchored by football, by far the biggest moneymaker.

Missouri athletic director Jim Sterk was asked about the possible rationale for a conference-only schedule.

“Probably, it’s a comfort level of how protocols are being enacted, how testing is done and then keeping it within that family, if you will — your expanded social circle or social pod,” said Sterk, whose Tigers play in the SEC. “You might be able to control things more that way, or feel like you can, anyway versus the unknown of people coming from outside our 11 states.”

The marquee nonconference matchups in the Big Ten this season included Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin on Oct. 3 at Lambeau Field, home of the NFL’s Green Bay Packers. A handful of teams were scheduled to play two Big Ten opponents, including Bowling Green, Central Michigan and Northern Illinois.

The Big Ten said it would release detailed schedules later and continue to evaluate other sports. The league said its schools will honor scholarships for athletes who choose not to compete in the upcoming academic year because of concerns about the coronavirus.

Indiana athletic director Scott Dolson said he and his Big Ten colleagues “know that there remain many questions that still need to be answered, and we will work toward finding those answers in the coming weeks.”

The Big Ten Conference announced Thursday it will not play nonconference games in football and several other sports this fall, the most dramatic move yet by a power conference because of the coronavirus pandemic.The league cited medical advice in making its decision and added ominously that the plan would be applied only “if the conference is able to participate in fall sports.”“As we continue to focus on how to play this season in a safe and responsible way, based on the best advice of medical experts,&nbsp;<a href="https://bigten.org/news/2020/7/9/big-ten-statement-on-2020-21-fall-season.aspx" target="_blank">we are also prepared not to play</a>&nbsp;in order to ensure the health, safety and wellness of our student-athletes should the circumstances so dictate,” the league said.Besides football, the sports affected include men’s and women’s cross country, field hockey, men’s and women’s soccer, and women’s volleyball.“By limiting competition to other Big Ten institutions, the conference will have the greatest flexibility to adjust its own operations throughout the season and make quick decisions in real-time based on the most current evolving medical advice and the fluid nature of the pandemic,” the Big Ten said.The announcement came a day after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/968faf851a0d42f82780168ec57d4733">Ivy League called off fall sports&nbsp;</a>and Stanford announced it was cutting 11 varsity sports as it struggles with the financial impact the virus outbreak is having on its budget.There was no immediate reaction from the other big conferences, though the SEC, ACC, Big 12 and Pac-12 have all indicated they intend to play fall sports, anchored by football, by far the biggest moneymaker.Missouri athletic director Jim Sterk was asked about the possible rationale for a conference-only schedule.“Probably, it’s a comfort level of how protocols are being enacted, how testing is done and then keeping it within that family, if you will — your expanded social circle or social pod,” said Sterk, whose Tigers play in the SEC. “You might be able to control things more that way, or feel like you can, anyway versus the unknown of people coming from outside our 11 states.”The marquee nonconference matchups in the Big Ten this season included Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin on Oct. 3 at Lambeau Field, home of the NFL’s Green Bay Packers. A handful of teams were scheduled to play two Big Ten opponents, including Bowling Green, Central Michigan and Northern Illinois.The Big Ten said it would release detailed schedules later and continue to evaluate other sports. The league said its schools will honor scholarships for athletes who choose not to compete in the upcoming academic year because of concerns about the coronavirus.Indiana athletic director Scott Dolson said he and his Big Ten colleagues “know that there remain many questions that still need to be answered, and we will work toward finding those answers in the coming weeks.”

Big Ten to limit football, fall sports to conference games

KANSAS CITY,&nbsp;MO (July 9, 2020)&nbsp;—&nbsp;In conjunction with Major League Baseball, the Kansas City Royals today announced their 2021 regular season schedule.&nbsp;All game times will be announced at a later date.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Opening Day is scheduled for Thursday, April 1 at Kauffman Stadium vs. the Texas Rangers, to mark the&nbsp;fifth time in seven years that the Royals will open the season at home.&nbsp;It’ll be the first time the Royals will play the Rangers on Opening Day, and the first time they will open with a non-divisional opponent since starting the 2016 season vs. the New York Mets.

Kansas City will continue its I-70 series vs. St. Louis with three games at Busch Stadium from Aug. 6-8 and three games at Kauffman Stadium from Aug. 13-15. The remaining 14 Interleague games will be played over six series, including three at home and three on the road against the National League Central. This will mark the second consecutive season in which the Royals will face all five National League Central opponents.

Kansas City will host Interleague matchups in 2021 vs. Milwaukee (May 18-19), Pittsburgh (May 31-June 1) and Cincinnati (July 5-7). The road Interleague schedule will take the Royals to Pittsburgh (April 27-28), Milwaukee (July 20-21) and Chicago (Aug. 20-22).&nbsp;This will be the Royals’ first trip to PNC Park in Pittsburgh since 2018, and will mark the second straight season in which they will travel to Milwaukee’s Miller Park and Chicago’s Wrigley Field.&nbsp;

Kansas City’s holiday schedule will see the Royals host Texas on Easter Sunday (April 4), the Chicago White Sox on Mother’s Day (May 9), Pittsburgh on Memorial Day (May 31), Boston on Father’s Day (June 20) and Minnesota on Independence Day (July 4). The Royals will travel to Baltimore on Labor Day (Sept. 6).

The All-Star break will run from July 12-15 and will include the 91st&nbsp;Major League Baseball All-Star Game to be played on Tuesday, July 13 at Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves.

Kansas City will host 81 games at Kauffman Stadium, including 13 in April, 13 in May, 11 in June, 16 in July, 11 in August, 14 in September and three in October.

The Royals will host two 10-game homestands, from April 12-21 vs. Los Angeles, Toronto and Tampa Bay; and from Aug. 9-19 vs. New York, St. Louis and Houston. The Royals are scheduled for four three-city trips, including nine games in 10 days from April 23-May 2 at Detroit, at Pittsburgh and at Minnesota; 10 games in 10 days from June 22-July 1 at New York, Texas and Boston; nine games in 10 days from July 30-Aug. 8 at Toronto, at the Chicago White Sox and at St. Louis; and 10 games in 10 days from Aug. 20-29 at the Chicago Cubs, at Houston and at Seattle.

&nbsp;The game dates are subject to change.&nbsp;For&nbsp;additional information, members of the media may contact the Royals Media Relations Department at (816) 921-8000.

KANSAS CITY,&nbsp;MO (July 9, 2020)&nbsp;—&nbsp;In conjunction with Major League Baseball, the Kansas City Royals today announced their 2021 regular season schedule.&nbsp;All game times will be announced at a later date.&nbsp;&nbsp;Opening Day is scheduled for Thursday, April 1 at Kauffman Stadium vs. the Texas Rangers, to mark the&nbsp;fifth time in seven years that the Royals will open the season at home.&nbsp;It’ll be the first time the Royals will play the Rangers on Opening Day, and the first time they will open with a non-divisional opponent since starting the 2016 season vs. the New York Mets.Kansas City will continue its I-70 series vs. St. Louis with three games at Busch Stadium from Aug. 6-8 and three games at Kauffman Stadium from Aug. 13-15. The remaining 14 Interleague games will be played over six series, including three at home and three on the road against the National League Central. This will mark the second consecutive season in which the Royals will face all five National League Central opponents.Kansas City will host Interleague matchups in 2021 vs. Milwaukee (May 18-19), Pittsburgh (May 31-June 1) and Cincinnati (July 5-7). The road Interleague schedule will take the Royals to Pittsburgh (April 27-28), Milwaukee (July 20-21) and Chicago (Aug. 20-22).&nbsp;This will be the Royals’ first trip to PNC Park in Pittsburgh since 2018, and will mark the second straight season in which they will travel to Milwaukee’s Miller Park and Chicago’s Wrigley Field.&nbsp;Kansas City’s holiday schedule will see the Royals host Texas on Easter Sunday (April 4), the Chicago White Sox on Mother’s Day (May 9), Pittsburgh on Memorial Day (May 31), Boston on Father’s Day (June 20) and Minnesota on Independence Day (July 4). The Royals will travel to Baltimore on Labor Day (Sept. 6).The All-Star break will run from July 12-15 and will include the 91st&nbsp;Major League Baseball All-Star Game to be played on Tuesday, July 13 at Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves.Kansas City will host 81 games at Kauffman Stadium, including 13 in April, 13 in May, 11 in June, 16 in July, 11 in August, 14 in September and three in October.The Royals will host two 10-game homestands, from April 12-21 vs. Los Angeles, Toronto and Tampa Bay; and from Aug. 9-19 vs. New York, St. Louis and Houston. The Royals are scheduled for four three-city trips, including nine games in 10 days from April 23-May 2 at Detroit, at Pittsburgh and at Minnesota; 10 games in 10 days from June 22-July 1 at New York, Texas and Boston; nine games in 10 days from July 30-Aug. 8 at Toronto, at the Chicago White Sox and at St. Louis; and 10 games in 10 days from Aug. 20-29 at the Chicago Cubs, at Houston and at Seattle.&nbsp;The game dates are subject to change.&nbsp;For&nbsp;additional information, members of the media may contact the Royals Media Relations Department at (816) 921-8000.

Royals announce 2021 regular season schedule

&nbsp;CHARLOTTE, NC -The NJCAA announced via social media Thursday that&nbsp; the NJCAA Presidential Advisory Council has recommended that a majority of competition move to the spring semester of 2021. An official plan of action will be determined on Monday, July 13.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Hutchpost.com will report more on this decision when it is made available.&nbsp; No mention in the post regarding NJCAA Football.

&nbsp;CHARLOTTE, NC -The NJCAA announced via social media Thursday that&nbsp; the NJCAA Presidential Advisory Council has recommended that a majority of competition move to the spring semester of 2021. An official plan of action will be determined on Monday, July 13.&nbsp;&nbsp;<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FNJCAA%2Fphotos%2Fa.250100794630%2F10158309323909631%2F%3Ftype%3D3&width=500" width="500" height="419" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></div>Hutchpost.com will report more on this decision when it is made available.&nbsp; No mention in the post regarding NJCAA Football.

NJCAA to decide on fall sports moving to spring of 2021

NFL teams will be prohibited from postgame interactions within 6 feet of each other, which means players won’t be allowed to exchange jerseys after games as part of the guidelines to help limit the spread of the coronavirus.

The restrictions are outlined in the gameday protocols finalized by the league and NFL Players Association on Wednesday. The 11-page document sent to each club and obtained by The Associated Press includes several changes for the upcoming season:

— Players and coaches are not required to wear masks, but everyone else on the sideline is.

— Everyone with access to the bench area is prohibited from sharing any personal items, including cups, food, towels and clothing.

— Anyone who records a body temperature at or above 100.4 degrees on game day will not be permitted to enter the stadium.

— Inactive players must either be in the designated bench area or must remain in the locker room, an empty suite or some other designated, isolated location in the stadium during pregame and throughout the game to avoid interactions with any non-team personnel.

— Cheerleaders, mascots, flag runners and other entertainers must be approved by the NFL in advance and, if approved, must meet physical distancing and screening and testing requirements.

— Media is banned from the locker room.

Several players criticized the league banning jersey exchanges.

San Francisco 49ers cornerback&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/RSherman_25/status/1281260935793934337" target="_blank">Richard Sherman wrote on Twitter</a>: “This is a perfect example of NFL thinking in a nutshell. Players can go engage in a full contact game and do it safely. However, it is deemed unsafe for them to exchange jerseys after said game.”

Hosuton Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson called it “silly” and asked,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/deshaunwatson/status/1281271244218720256" target="_blank">“why are they letting us play at all?”</a>

The league and the players’ union still haven’t agreed on testing and screening protocols.

NFL teams will be prohibited from postgame interactions within 6 feet of each other, which means players won’t be allowed to exchange jerseys after games as part of the guidelines to help limit the spread of the coronavirus.The restrictions are outlined in the gameday protocols finalized by the league and NFL Players Association on Wednesday. The 11-page document sent to each club and obtained by The Associated Press includes several changes for the upcoming season:— Players and coaches are not required to wear masks, but everyone else on the sideline is.— Everyone with access to the bench area is prohibited from sharing any personal items, including cups, food, towels and clothing.— Anyone who records a body temperature at or above 100.4 degrees on game day will not be permitted to enter the stadium.— Inactive players must either be in the designated bench area or must remain in the locker room, an empty suite or some other designated, isolated location in the stadium during pregame and throughout the game to avoid interactions with any non-team personnel.— On-field fan seating is prohibited.— Cheerleaders, mascots, flag runners and other entertainers must be approved by the NFL in advance and, if approved, must meet physical distancing and screening and testing requirements.— Media is banned from the locker room.Several players criticized the league banning jersey exchanges.San Francisco 49ers cornerback&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/RSherman_25/status/1281260935793934337" target="_blank">Richard Sherman wrote on Twitter</a>: “This is a perfect example of NFL thinking in a nutshell. Players can go engage in a full contact game and do it safely. However, it is deemed unsafe for them to exchange jerseys after said game.”Hosuton Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson called it “silly” and asked,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/deshaunwatson/status/1281271244218720256" target="_blank">“why are they letting us play at all?”</a>The league and the players’ union still haven’t agreed on testing and screening protocols.

NFL players are banned from exchanging jerseys after games

WICHITA, Kan. - The Buhler Senior Nationals are off to a hot start with a convincing 6-0 victory over the Dirt Devils at Wichita State's Eck stadium on Thursday in the Best of the Great Plains baseball tournament.&nbsp; Graham Stephens pitched the complete game shut out.

The Buhler Senior Nationals are 18-6 on the season.

The Nationals are back at it tomorrow morning at 8:30 am against Strike Zone, at West Side Athletic Field.&nbsp;&nbsp;

FRIDAY:  8:30am vs Strike Zone &amp; 1:00pm @ Friends University West Side Athletic Field vs Wichita River Bandits.

SATURDAY:  10:45am @ WSU Eck Stadium vs TBA

WICHITA, Kan. - The Buhler Senior Nationals are off to a hot start with a convincing 6-0 victory over the Dirt Devils at Wichita State's Eck stadium on Thursday in the Best of the Great Plains baseball tournament.&nbsp; Graham Stephens pitched the complete game shut out.The Buhler Senior Nationals are 18-6 on the season.The Nationals are back at it tomorrow morning at 8:30 am against Strike Zone, at West Side Athletic Field.&nbsp;&nbsp;FRIDAY: 8:30am vs Strike Zone &amp; 1:00pm @ Friends University West Side Athletic Field vs Wichita River Bandits.SATURDAY: 10:45am @ WSU Eck Stadium vs TBA

Buhler Senior Nationals start tourney with 6-0 shut-out victory

CBSSports.com reported the following Thursday:&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Big Ten announced Thursday that it will adopt a conference-only scheduling model for the 2020 college football season -- if the season is played at all -- stemming from concerns of playing amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It is the first Power Five conference to announce major alterations to its 2020 schedule.

"If the Conference is able to participate in fall sports (men's and women's cross country, field hockey, football, men's and women's soccer, and women's volleyball) based on medical advice, it will move to Conference-only schedules in those sports," the Big Ten announced. "By limiting competition to other Big Ten institutions, the Conference will have the greatest flexibility to adjust its own operations throughout the season and make quick decisions in real-time based on the most current evolving medical advice and the fluid nature of the pandemic."

The move to a conference-only scheduling model will&nbsp;eliminate several major nonconference Big Ten showdowns&nbsp;set for 2020, including Ohio State's trip to Oregon in Week 2, the annual rivalry game between Iowa and Iowa State, and Michigan's season opener at Washington.

It is unknown exactly how Big Ten programs will alter their schedules based on the league's decision. The conference currently plays nine league games each season but could fill out its schedule with at least one additional intraleague contest.

The specific conference-only schedule that the Big Ten intends to play this fall -- should sports be permitted to be played at all -- will be announced at a later date.

With coronavirus continuing to rage across the United States and showing few signs of slowing down, moving to a conference-only schedule helps alleviate many issues the pandemic creates. Not only will teams be able to reduce long-distance travel, conferences will have an easier time implementing universal coronavirus testing standards.

It is unknown how other conferences intend to format their fall schedules. Missouri athletic director Jim Sterk,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Dave_Matter/status/1281305453004193793" target="_blank">said Thursday</a>&nbsp;that the SEC's decision on a conference-only schedule could come at the end of July.&nbsp;

The Big Ten's decision comes one day after Ohio State paused voluntary workouts due to COVID-19 testing results and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/ivy-league-scraps-college-football-and-fall-sports-for-2020-will-evaluate-feasibility-of-playing-in-spring/" target="_blank">Ivy League announced that it will not hold intercollegiate sports in the fall</a>&nbsp;but will reevaluate playing sports beginning Jan. 1, 2021.

CBSSports.com reported the following Thursday:&nbsp;&nbsp;The Big Ten announced Thursday that it will adopt a conference-only scheduling model for the 2020 college football season -- if the season is played at all -- stemming from concerns of playing amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It is the first Power Five conference to announce major alterations to its 2020 schedule."If the Conference is able to participate in fall sports (men's and women's cross country, field hockey, football, men's and women's soccer, and women's volleyball) based on medical advice, it will move to Conference-only schedules in those sports," the Big Ten announced. "By limiting competition to other Big Ten institutions, the Conference will have the greatest flexibility to adjust its own operations throughout the season and make quick decisions in real-time based on the most current evolving medical advice and the fluid nature of the pandemic."The move to a conference-only scheduling model will&nbsp;eliminate several major nonconference Big Ten showdowns&nbsp;set for 2020, including Ohio State's trip to Oregon in Week 2, the annual rivalry game between Iowa and Iowa State, and Michigan's season opener at Washington.It is unknown exactly how Big Ten programs will alter their schedules based on the league's decision. The conference currently plays nine league games each season but could fill out its schedule with at least one additional intraleague contest.The specific conference-only schedule that the Big Ten intends to play this fall -- should sports be permitted to be played at all -- will be announced at a later date.With coronavirus continuing to rage across the United States and showing few signs of slowing down, moving to a conference-only schedule helps alleviate many issues the pandemic creates. Not only will teams be able to reduce long-distance travel, conferences will have an easier time implementing universal coronavirus testing standards.It is unknown how other conferences intend to format their fall schedules. Missouri athletic director Jim Sterk,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Dave_Matter/status/1281305453004193793" target="_blank">said Thursday</a>&nbsp;that the SEC's decision on a conference-only schedule could come at the end of July.&nbsp;The Big Ten's decision comes one day after Ohio State paused voluntary workouts due to COVID-19 testing results and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/ivy-league-scraps-college-football-and-fall-sports-for-2020-will-evaluate-feasibility-of-playing-in-spring/" target="_blank">Ivy League announced that it will not hold intercollegiate sports in the fall</a>&nbsp;but will reevaluate playing sports beginning Jan. 1, 2021.

Big Ten to play conference-only football schedule for 2020 season amid COVID-19 pandemic

<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/854881972&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/hutchpost" title="HutchPost.com" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">HutchPost.com</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hutchpost/eagle-sports-july-9-2020" title="Eagle Sports July 9 - 2020" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Sports July 9 - 2020</a></div></div>

AUDIO: Eagle Radio Sports for Thursday

UNDATED (AP) — Six years after spurning a possible $1 million payday to play baseball so he could pursue his passion for football, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes struck gold with a record-breaking 10-year contract worth as much as $503 million. But Mahomes insists this deal was about more than money. Sure, the 24-year-old superstar wanted financial security. He also wanted stability in an organization, the freedom to play without worrying about contracts, to continue playing for a coach who helped him win the MVP Award in the 2018 season and the Super Bowl last season.&nbsp;

<h2>Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press</h2>UNDATED (AP) — Six years after spurning a possible $1 million payday to play baseball so he could pursue his passion for football, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes struck gold with a record-breaking 10-year contract worth as much as $503 million. But Mahomes insists this deal was about more than money. Sure, the 24-year-old superstar wanted financial security. He also wanted stability in an organization, the freedom to play without worrying about contracts, to continue playing for a coach who helped him win the MVP Award in the 2018 season and the Super Bowl last season.&nbsp;<h2>Update on the latest sports</h2>MLS-SOCCER RETURNSMoment of silence before MLS kicks offs offKISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) — Nearly 200 players took the field for an 8-minute, 46-second moment of silence to protest racial injustice before Major League Soccer's return to action Wednesday night. Players wore black T-shirts, black gloves and black facemasks emblazoned with Black Lives Matter. The players walked toward midfield, raised their right arms one at a time and held the pose so long that some could be seen stretching fatigued muscles afterward. It was a poignant moment that put two of the nation's most prominent changes over the last four months — masks and movements — at the forefront of the sport's return.The league's teams are sequestered in resorts for the duration of the World Cup-style tournament, which began with a Group A match that was the first meeting between two Sunshine State teams.FC Dallas withdrew Monday after 10 players and a coach tested positive for COVID-19. A day later, Nashville SC's status was thrust into doubt with five confirmed positive tests.Nashville was supposed to play Chicago in the second game of a doubleheader Wednesday but it was postponed.VIRUS OUTBREAK-SPORTSRyder Cup postponed until next year at Whistling StraitsUNDATED (AP) — With no guarantee of fans, there won't be a Ryder Cup this year. The PGA of America says the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin has been pushed back to 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The PGA Tour still hasn't allowed spectators at its events, and no other golf tournament is dependent on partisan cheering like the Ryder Cup. After working with the PGA Tour and its Presidents Cup, the decision was reached to move the Ryder Cup to Sept. 24-26 in 2021. That means the Presidents Cup will return to even-numbered years starting in 2022 at Quail Hollow in North Carolina.The Ryder Cup had been scheduled for Sept. 25-27 at Whistling Straits, one week after the U.S. Open.It's the second time in the last two decades the Ryder Cup was postponed. It was moved off the odd-numbered years in 2001 because of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.In other developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic: — NASCAR cannot meet the quarantine rules in New York and must move its August race from Watkins Glen. The event will instead be held on the road course at Daytona. It will be NASCAR's debut on the course used by the IMSA sports car series. The Cup schedule released today covers all of August through the regularly scheduled season finale on the oval at Daytona. The Cup Series will also race doubleheaders at Michigan and Dover.— Seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson has twice tested negative for the coronavirus and will race Sunday at Kentucky Speedway. Johnson missed the first race of his Cup career when he tested positive last Friday. NASCAR confirmed Wednesday that Johnson has been cleared to return. Johnson's streak of 663 consecutive starts — most among active drivers — was snapped when he didn't race Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Johnson is the only NASCAR driver to test positive for the coronavirus since the series resumed racing on May 17.— The Ivy League says will not play sports this fall because of the coronavirus pandemic. The league left open the possibility of moving some seasons to the spring if outbreak is better controlled by then. The move could have ripple effects throughout the big business of college sports. Football players in the Power Five conferences have already begun workouts for a season that starts on Aug. 29. The Ivy League decision affects not just football but soccer, field hockey, volleyball and cross country, as well as the fall portion of winter sports like basketball. The league said it has not yet determined whether fall sports can be moved to the spring.— North Carolina says it has paused voluntary football workouts for at least a week after reporting 37 positive test results for the new coronavirus among school athletes, coaches and staff. The school announced results following 429 tests administered as they began returning to campus last month. The school didn't specify which programs were impacted beyond announcing the pause to football workouts. Officials did say the Orange County Health Department had identified a cluster of five or more related cases. It's unclear exactly when football workouts will resume. — Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst says the group that travels to Florida on Thursday for the resumption of the NBA season at Walt Disney World likely won't include the team's entire 35-person traveling party. The Bucks closed their practice facility in Milwaukee after receiving results of their Friday coronavirus testing. Horst won't say whether a positive test came from a Bucks player or another member of the traveling party. The Bucks owned a league-leading 53-12 record when play was halted in mid-March due to the pandemic. They return to action July 31 against the Celtics.— A person with knowledge of the situation says that Kawhi Leonard did not accompany the Los Angeles Clippers on their flight to Central Florida on Wednesday night for the restart of the NBA season. Leonard's absence was excused and he is expected to join the team at the Disney complex near Orlando sometime in the next few days, said the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team did not publicly disclose the matter.— As U.S. team sports prepare to resume, journalists are facing the same issues that their colleagues who cover politics and entertainment have encountered: coming up with new approaches to coverage with reduced access. Professional leagues closed media access to locker rooms and clubhouses in early March. When the games restart, that access is not going to return. Major League Baseball and the NBA will make managers and players available only via telephone or Zoom.— The Baltimore Ravens have informed season ticket holders that their seats will not be available this year. The team says season ticket holders will be offered the same seats in 2021, and money already spent for this season can be used for next year or refunded upon request. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, NFL games this season are expected to be held without fans or in front of a greatly reduced audience. If fans are permitted to attend, seats would be sold on a game-by-game basis with season ticket holders getting the first chance to buy in advance of any public sale.— Northwestern's football game against Wisconsin scheduled for Nov. 7 at Wrigley Field in Chicago is being moved to Ryan Field because of uncertainties due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Northwestern announced the decision Wednesday after consulting with the Chicago Cubs, state and local authorities and the Big Ten Conference. — Stanford is dropping 11 sports amid financial difficulties caused by the coronavirus pandemic for the 2020-21 academic year. Stanford also is eliminating 20 support staff positions. Stanford projected a deficit of more than $25 million in the 2021 fiscal year and a shortfall of nearly $70 million over the next three years due to the pandemic. The school estimated the cost of sustaining the 11 sports permanently would exceed $200 million. — Wisconsin says seven athletes have tested positive for the new coronavirus since the school started testing them a month ago. School officials previously had said two tested positive out of the 117 athletes who were part of the initial group of tests. The school now has conducted 428 total tests. Wisconsin isolates those who test positive, and the athletic department's infection response team monitors their recoveries. School officials aren't specifying which sports are affected by the positive tests.— Ohio State has paused voluntary workouts by athletes of seven sports on campus after getting the results of its most recent coronavirus testing. The school said in a statement Wednesday night that workouts have been paused for football, men's and women's basketball, field hockey, men's and women's soccer and women's volleyball. The university said it isn't sharing cumulative COVID-19 information publicly to avoid identifying specific individuals and compromise medical privacy.— Associated Press research finds that four-year U.S. colleges have eliminated 171 sports programs because of budget problems blamed on the coronavirus outbreak. About 30 percent of those are in Division I, with Stanford being the only one from a Power Five conference.MLB-NEWSMore players test positive, others returnCINCINNATI (AP) — As Major League Baseball cautiously tiptoes closer toward beginning its delayed 2020 season, several teams welcomed back players who might have been exposed to the coronavirus and the San Francisco Giants resumed workouts Wednesday after finally receiving the results of COVID-19 tests administered over the weekend. Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers worked out at Fenway Park for the first time since Boston opened its summer camp. Also, Rangers first baseman Ronald Guzman was on the field after missing the first five days of workouts. In Cleveland, outfielder Franmil Reyes was cleared to return after being isolated for attending a party over the July 4 weekend.Elsewhere in the majors:— Giants first baseman Brandon Belt is in a walking boot as he nurses a sore right heel that will keep him out at least a week. Manager Gabe Kapler says it's too soon to guess whether the injury could affect Belt's status to play the season opener July 23 at Dodger Stadium. Belt has dealt with heel pain previously and aggravated it doing agility work. Hunter Pence took batting practice but was unable to run the bases or play the outfield because of minor pain in his foot. Catcher Buster Posey missed another practice because of a personal issue.— The offseason renovations at Dodger Stadium have hitters adjusting to a new backdrop in center field. First baseman Max Muncy was hit by a pitch on his left ring finger during an intrasquad game and says he couldn't see the ball coming. The black tarp that served as the backdrop in center is gone, replaced by a new center field plaza. Muncy is expected to be ready by opening day on July 23. But manager Dave Roberts says it's unsettling that a hitter couldn't see the ball because of the background.— Arizona Diamondbacks reliever Junior Guerra has returned to the team after missing the start of summer camp because of a positive coronavirus test. Guerra is one of four Arizona players to test positive and had not participated in summer camp since its start last week. Guerra said his first test for the virus was negative, but his second about 10 days ago was positive. He returned after testing negative twice in 24 hours. Guerra signed with the Diamondbacks last offseason after spending the previous four seasons in Milwaukee. — Cleveland Indians outfielder Franmil Reyes (FRAHN'-meel RAY'-uhs) has been cleared by the team's medical staff to return to the field after being isolated for attending a party over the July Fourth weekend. The team kept Reyes away from Progressive Field as a precaution after he attended a holiday gathering without wearing a mask. The Indians learned of Reyes' off-field actions from social media. Manager Terry Francona says Reyes was re-tested for the coronavirus and may now participate in training camp. Also, Indians outfielder Delino DeShields (deh-LY'-noh deh-SHEELDZ') Jr., who tested positive for COVID-19, is traveling to Cleveland after he had one negative test. — Sonny Gray has been chosen to start the Cincinnati Reds' first game back from Major League Baseball's shutdown due to the pandemic. Gray started openers for the Athletics in 2014 and 2015, throwing a combined 14 shutout innings while getting a win and a no-decision. He's in line to face the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park on July 24 as Major League Baseball starts a season shortened because of the pandemic.— An array of injuries was largely responsible for the blight on the first five years of Byron Buxton's major league career. The latest setback for Minnesota's speedy center fielder was surgery last fall to repair labrum damage in his left shoulder. Buxton worked his way onto a rehabilitation track that would have had him ready for the original season opener on March 26. Having four extra months to heal and train due to the virus outbreak sure didn't hurt. The Twins play the Chicago White Sox on July 24 to start the 60-game season.— The Chicago White Sox are giving fans the opportunity to purchase cardboard cutouts of themselves that will be displayed at Guaranteed Rate Field during the team's season-opening homestand. The cutouts cost $49 and will be available while supplies last. Proceeds will benefit the team's charitable arm. The White Sox open with a three-game series against the Minnesota Twins starting on July 24.— The Seattle Mariners say they had three positive tests for the new coronavirus among 122 individuals that received initial intake tests before the start of summer camp workouts last week. The team has not specified whether the three that tested positive were players, coaches or staff. The Mariners say all three are asymptomatic and are currently quarantined.PGA-WORKDAY OPENHow to make 1 golf course look like 2 different tournamentsDUBLIN, Ohio (AP) — Muirfield Village is gearing up for the first doubleheader on the PGA Tour in 63 years. A new tournament called the Workday Charity Open starts Thursday on the course Jack Nicklaus built. And then it's onto the Memorial, the tournament Nicklaus created. The goal for tour officials is to protect the condition of the course from 157 players this week and 120 players next week. They also want to try to present a different test. That means slower greens, different tees and rough that isn't quite as high this week. The last time the PGA Tour had back-to-back tournaments on the same golf course was in 1957, five years before Nicklaus turned pro. The All American Open and the World Championship of Golf were played at Tam O'Shanter in Illinois. Workday is a one-time event replacing the canceled John Deere Classic.In other Workday news:— Three PGA Tour players who have tested positive for the coronavirus but are no longer symptomatic will play together at the Workday Charity Open. The tour announced the change Wednesday in the latest revision of its COVID-19 policies. Nick Watney will play alongside Dylan Frittelli and Denny McCarthy during the first two rounds at Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio. Watney was the first tour player to test positive and reported mild symptoms. The tour said all three players continue to test positive for the virus but have met the Centers for Disease Control guidelines for return to work. Players in those circumstances will either be grouped together or play as singles.NFL-49ers-MOSTERTMostert requests tradeUNDATED (AP) — San Francisco 49ers postseason breakout star Raheem Mostert has requested a trade from the team after being unable to renegotiate his contract. Agent Brett Tessler made the request public after talks with the 49ers failed to lead to a new deal to replace the three-year contract Mostert signed in 2019 when he was still mostly a special teams standout. Mostert has a base salary of $2,575,000 this season and $2,875,000 next season as part of the deal he signed with San Francisco last year.RACING-KEENELAND BREEDER BANNEDVanMeter banned after racist Facebook postLEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — A prominent Kentucky horse owner and breeder has been banned from racing and sales at Keeneland Race Course after his racist post on social media. Keeneland says it is banning Tom VanMeter from the premises, including participation by his sales company, while the Lexington track further reviews circumstances related to the recent "reprehensible comments" he made online. The posting drew condemnation across the racing industry. VanMeter later said he was wrong and was disgusted by his actions. In Facebook post last weekend on Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers' Club president Donnie Snellings' page that called on followers to "Re-post if you are still boycotting the NFL." VanMeter, who is white, responded with a post that used an abbreviation of the N-word. He later posted, "Put em back in their cage!!!"