AUDIO: Eagle Radio Sports for Thursday

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

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The Big Ten Conference has approved hardship waiver petitions for Iowa basketball players Jordan Bohannon and Jack Nunge to give each an extra year of eligibility. Bohannon averaged 8.8 points and 3.3 assists in 10 games before undergoing season-ending surgery on his left hip in December. He had the same procedure on his right hip last May. The Marion, Iowa, native holds the Iowa record with 284 career 3-pointers made. Nunge started five games last season before tearing the ACL in his right knee. Freshman forward Patrick McCaffery's hardship waiver is still under review.

UNDATED (AP) — The NFL has updated its Organized Team Activities schedule as the league hopes to begin the upcoming season on time.

A person familiar with the decision tells The Associated Press that the NFL has extended its virtual offseason workouts through the end of May.

NFL teams normally would be holding OTAs during May, followed by June minicamps. Those activities are being done remotely due to the coronavirus pandemic. Coaching and training staffs have worked with the players by conducting classroom instruction and on-field activities through digital applications.

All 32 teams must submit plans for reopening their facilities to the league by Friday, though no dates for such re-openings are set. Offseason workouts must end by June 26, a week or so later than usual.

In other news related to the coronavirus pandemic:

— Florida is willing to be a restart site for professional sports leagues when play resumes following shutdowns caused by the new coronavirus. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says he is welcoming all pro sports for practicing and playing, although he couldn’t guarantee that fans would be permitted. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey announced this week that his state is open to games without spectators for all the major sports starting Saturday.

— Major League Soccer is looking at the possibility of resuming the season this summer with all teams playing in Orlando, Florida. A person with knowledge of the plan says the league's 26 teams and limited staff would likely be sheltered in a resort with games played without fans at ESPN's Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney World. Details of the plan are still under consideration. Teams could head to Florida as early as June 1 for training camps.

— A person familiar with the decision says the Miami Marlins will temporarily furlough 90 to 100 baseball operations employees beginning June 1 because of the pandemic. The person told The Associated Press that about 40 percent of the baseball operations staff will be affected, with the status of those furloughed to be evaluated monthly. Their health benefits will continue through the end of October.

— The Italian soccer league is hoping to resume competition on June 13. The date was agreed to during a video conference with all 20 Serie A clubs. It is subject to approval by the Italian government. Full team training will restart on May 18 after a revised medical protocol was approved. The clubs have already resumed training on an individual basis.

— The Portuguese soccer league says it will delay its restart until June 4. The league was expected to resume at the end of May but will wait another week so there is time to “rigorously inspect stadiums and conduct medical tests on all professionals involved” in the matches.

— Players from the Spanish soccer club Elche did not return to practice on Wednesday as a protest against reduced salaries. The players for the second-division club were supposed to practice at the team’s stadium. Instead, they decided to keep training at home to show their discontentment with the team’s decision not to lift the furloughs that had been put in place because of the coronavirus pandemic. Players had their salaries reduced by 70%.

— The PGA Tour has outlined a health plan for its return that includes testing players for the new coronavirus both at home and when they arrive at tournaments. The tour's chief of operations says they won't play if it's not safe for everyone involved, and if testing takes away from resources in the host city. The return to golf will not include spectators or pro-ams. Key personnel will have to answer health questionnaires and have their temperatures taken every day. The tour says if a player tests positive, he will have to withdraw.

— Santa Anita has received approval from Los Angeles County health officials to resume live racing Friday. The track stopped live racing on March 27 by order of the county health department because of concern over the spread of the coronavirus. The track raced without spectators for two weeks before it was shut down.

— The South Korean women’s golf tour is starting up again. The KLPGA Championship opens today, without fans on the course. Organizers say social distancing will be practiced by players and tournament officials. Women’s golf joins South Korea’s professional baseball and soccer leagues, which have already restarted in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

— Golf courses in England are reopening as part of some modest socially distanced easing of coronavirus lockdown restrictions. People in England can exercise more than once a day and with one person from outside their household, provided the rule to remain more than six feet apart is adhered to. In addition, outdoor tennis and basketball courts can be used, and people will also be able to swim in lakes and the sea.

— Ferrari says it has developed a ventilator for hospitals dealing with the pandemic. The Formula One team says it created a device that is easy to use and assemble in conjunction with the Italian Institute of Technology. Ferrari says it was designed in only five weeks and can be produced using easily available materials at a lower cost than normal ventilators.

— The Japan Sumo Association says a 28-year-old wrestler has died from the coronavirus. The association identified the wrestler as Shoubushi and said he died of multiple-organ failure. He is reported to have been the first sumo wrestler to die from the virus, and among the youngest to die in Japan.

— Beach volleyball teams will have an extra year to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics. The system will otherwise remain the same. Most teams qualify by earning points on the international tour. The deadline for Tokyo had been this June but now it will be June 13, 2021. Additional spots in the Olympic tournament will be decided at continental tournaments that will be held until June 27 of next year.

— Oaklawn plans to reopen its casino next to the racetrack in Hot Springs, Arkansas, on Monday. General manager Wayne Smith says state and health officials have given the go-ahead to do so with new health and hygiene protocols in place. The casino will operate at 33% capacity, staff and visitors will have their temperatures checked upon entry and must wear masks, and guests must show ID in case contact tracing is needed.

— Rutgers is doing away with paper tickets to sports events in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The State University of New Jersey announced Wednesday that mobile-only ticketing to sports events will start this fall with the football season.

— IndyCar plans to crown its champion on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida. The original opener is being rescheduled for Oct. 25 as the finale. IndyCar was supposed to start its season March 15 on the temporary street course. Teams were already in place to compete before sports shut down 48 hours before the race because of the coronavirus pandemic.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The NCAA is pushing back its deadline for early entrants to the NBA draft to withdraw and return to school.

The deadline had been June 3, 10 days after the completion of the NBA scouting combine. But the combine was postponed amid the coronavirus pandemic.

NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt said in a statement that college sports’ governing body won’t set a new deadline until the NBA has determined its revised timeline for the predraft process.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Georgetown guard Mac McClung plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal after taking his name out of consideration for the NBA draft.

McClung averaged 15.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 21 games as a sophomore this past season, missing time with a right foot injury.

His departure follows the transfers of four other Georgetown men’s basketball players during last season.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL-ALABAMA ST-MO WILLIAMS

Williams takes over Alabama State program

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Former NBA point guard Mo Williams is Alabama State's new head coach.

Williams played 14 seasons in the NBA, winning a championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016. He spent the past two seasons as an assistant for California State University at Northridge, under coach Mark Gottfried.

Former Celtics, Canisius guard Johnny McCarthy dies

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Former NBA guard John McCarthy has died at 86.

McCarthy was the first player in NBA history to record a triple-double in his first career playoff game, a feat that has been matched just three other times. He played six seasons in the league and closed his career by helping the Boston Celtics win the 1964 championship.

McCarthy also helped Canisius earn a pair of NCAA appearances in 1955 and ’56.

Canisius announced that McCarthy died Saturday of natural causes in the Buffalo suburbs, where he grew up and lived most of his life.

Nassar-related case dismissed against ex-university chief

DETROIT (AP) — A judge has dismissed criminal charges against former Michigan State University President Lou Anna Simon.

She was accused of lying to investigators in 2018 as they tried to learn what she knew years earlier about sexual assault complaints involving campus doctor Larry Nassar. Simon last year was ordered to trial in Eaton County, near Lansing. But Circuit Judge John Maurer tossed the case, saying a lower court judge had abused her discretion in finding enough evidence to keep the case going.

Nassar is serving decades in prison after hundreds of women and girls came forward to say he molested them during visits for hip, back and leg injuries. Authorities alleged that Simon knew in 2014 that Nassar had been accused of molesting a patient at a campus clinic, and that she knew of the nature of the complaint.

U. of Michigan seeks to remove law firm in sex abuse suits

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — The University of Michigan has announced that it is seeking to remove a law firm it hired to handle lawsuits following hundreds of allegations of sexual abuse by Dr. Robert Anderson, a sports doctor who worked at the school for decades.

It's the second time the university has sought to remove a firm helping handle the allegations, and just two months after the firm was hired.

The school said in April that it hoped to settle the lawsuits.

Pro women's hockey association unveils 5-city regional plan

UNDATED (AP) — The Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association enters its second season with plans to regionalize its structure by basing players in five hub cities.

Groups of 25 players will practice in rinks in New Hampshire, Minnesota, Toronto, Montreal and Calgary. The league says players will have access to dedicated dressing rooms, strength and conditioning facilities as well as support staff and coaches.

The PWHPA was established a year ago following the collapse of the six-team Canadian Women’s Hockey League.

The league says it will continue its Dream Gap Tour series of barnstorming stops across North America.

STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) — Lawyers for XFL owner Vince McMahon have argued in court filings that he was justified in firing league CEO Oliver Luck last month just before the football operation shut down.

Luck filed a federal lawsuit last month over his April 9 termination, alleging the wrestling magnate breached their contract. The father of former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck and a long-time football executive is seeking monetary damages.

Attorneys for McMahon argued Wednesday that Luck was fired for cause, in part because he failed to devote his business time to his XFL duties. They claimed Luck abandoned his responsibilities after the schedule was halted by the coronavirus.

The league suspended operations and laid off all its employees on April 10, three days before filing for bankruptcy protection.

Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated PressIOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The Big Ten Conference has approved hardship waiver petitions for Iowa basketball players Jordan Bohannon and Jack Nunge to give each an extra year of eligibility. Bohannon averaged 8.8 points and 3.3 assists in 10 games before undergoing season-ending surgery on his left hip in December. He had the same procedure on his right hip last May. The Marion, Iowa, native holds the Iowa record with 284 career 3-pointers made. Nunge started five games last season before tearing the ACL in his right knee. Freshman forward Patrick McCaffery's hardship waiver is still under review.UNDATED (AP) — The NFL has updated its Organized Team Activities schedule as the league hopes to begin the upcoming season on time.A person familiar with the decision tells The Associated Press that the NFL has extended its virtual offseason workouts through the end of May.NFL teams normally would be holding OTAs during May, followed by June minicamps. Those activities are being done remotely due to the coronavirus pandemic. Coaching and training staffs have worked with the players by conducting classroom instruction and on-field activities through digital applications.All 32 teams must submit plans for reopening their facilities to the league by Friday, though no dates for such re-openings are set. Offseason workouts must end by June 26, a week or so later than usual.In other news related to the coronavirus pandemic:— Florida is willing to be a restart site for professional sports leagues when play resumes following shutdowns caused by the new coronavirus. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says he is welcoming all pro sports for practicing and playing, although he couldn’t guarantee that fans would be permitted. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey announced this week that his state is open to games without spectators for all the major sports starting Saturday.— Major League Soccer is looking at the possibility of resuming the season this summer with all teams playing in Orlando, Florida. A person with knowledge of the plan says the league's 26 teams and limited staff would likely be sheltered in a resort with games played without fans at ESPN's Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney World. Details of the plan are still under consideration. Teams could head to Florida as early as June 1 for training camps.— A person familiar with the decision says the Miami Marlins will temporarily furlough 90 to 100 baseball operations employees beginning June 1 because of the pandemic. The person told The Associated Press that about 40 percent of the baseball operations staff will be affected, with the status of those furloughed to be evaluated monthly. Their health benefits will continue through the end of October.— The Italian soccer league is hoping to resume competition on June 13. The date was agreed to during a video conference with all 20 Serie A clubs. It is subject to approval by the Italian government. Full team training will restart on May 18 after a revised medical protocol was approved. The clubs have already resumed training on an individual basis.— The Portuguese soccer league says it will delay its restart until June 4. The league was expected to resume at the end of May but will wait another week so there is time to “rigorously inspect stadiums and conduct medical tests on all professionals involved” in the matches.— Players from the Spanish soccer club Elche did not return to practice on Wednesday as a protest against reduced salaries. The players for the second-division club were supposed to practice at the team’s stadium. Instead, they decided to keep training at home to show their discontentment with the team’s decision not to lift the furloughs that had been put in place because of the coronavirus pandemic. Players had their salaries reduced by 70%.— The PGA Tour has outlined a health plan for its return that includes testing players for the new coronavirus both at home and when they arrive at tournaments. The tour's chief of operations says they won't play if it's not safe for everyone involved, and if testing takes away from resources in the host city. The return to golf will not include spectators or pro-ams. Key personnel will have to answer health questionnaires and have their temperatures taken every day. The tour says if a player tests positive, he will have to withdraw.— Santa Anita has received approval from Los Angeles County health officials to resume live racing Friday. The track stopped live racing on March 27 by order of the county health department because of concern over the spread of the coronavirus. The track raced without spectators for two weeks before it was shut down.— The South Korean women’s golf tour is starting up again. The KLPGA Championship opens today, without fans on the course. Organizers say social distancing will be practiced by players and tournament officials. Women’s golf joins South Korea’s professional baseball and soccer leagues, which have already restarted in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.— Golf courses in England are reopening as part of some modest socially distanced easing of coronavirus lockdown restrictions. People in England can exercise more than once a day and with one person from outside their household, provided the rule to remain more than six feet apart is adhered to. In addition, outdoor tennis and basketball courts can be used, and people will also be able to swim in lakes and the sea.— Ferrari says it has developed a ventilator for hospitals dealing with the pandemic. The Formula One team says it created a device that is easy to use and assemble in conjunction with the Italian Institute of Technology. Ferrari says it was designed in only five weeks and can be produced using easily available materials at a lower cost than normal ventilators.— The Japan Sumo Association says a 28-year-old wrestler has died from the coronavirus. The association identified the wrestler as Shoubushi and said he died of multiple-organ failure. He is reported to have been the first sumo wrestler to die from the virus, and among the youngest to die in Japan.— Beach volleyball teams will have an extra year to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics. The system will otherwise remain the same. Most teams qualify by earning points on the international tour. The deadline for Tokyo had been this June but now it will be June 13, 2021. Additional spots in the Olympic tournament will be decided at continental tournaments that will be held until June 27 of next year.— Oaklawn plans to reopen its casino next to the racetrack in Hot Springs, Arkansas, on Monday. General manager Wayne Smith says state and health officials have given the go-ahead to do so with new health and hygiene protocols in place. The casino will operate at 33% capacity, staff and visitors will have their temperatures checked upon entry and must wear masks, and guests must show ID in case contact tracing is needed.— Rutgers is doing away with paper tickets to sports events in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The State University of New Jersey announced Wednesday that mobile-only ticketing to sports events will start this fall with the football season.— IndyCar plans to crown its champion on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida. The original opener is being rescheduled for Oct. 25 as the finale. IndyCar was supposed to start its season March 15 on the temporary street course. Teams were already in place to compete before sports shut down 48 hours before the race because of the coronavirus pandemic.COLLEGE BASKETBALL-NBA DRAFT DEADLINEDraft deadline pushed backINDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The NCAA is pushing back its deadline for early entrants to the NBA draft to withdraw and return to school.The deadline had been June 3, 10 days after the completion of the NBA scouting combine. But the combine was postponed amid the coronavirus pandemic.NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt said in a statement that college sports’ governing body won’t set a new deadline until the NBA has determined its revised timeline for the predraft process.COLLEGE BASKETBALL-GEORGETOWN-McCLUNGHoyas star guard transferringWASHINGTON (AP) — Georgetown guard Mac McClung plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal after taking his name out of consideration for the NBA draft.McClung averaged 15.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 21 games as a sophomore this past season, missing time with a right foot injury.His departure follows the transfers of four other Georgetown men’s basketball players during last season.COLLEGE BASKETBALL-ALABAMA ST-MO WILLIAMSWilliams takes over Alabama State programMONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Former NBA point guard Mo Williams is Alabama State's new head coach.Williams played 14 seasons in the NBA, winning a championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016. He spent the past two seasons as an assistant for California State University at Northridge, under coach Mark Gottfried.NBA-OBIT-JOHN MCCARTHYFormer Celtics, Canisius guard Johnny McCarthy diesBUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Former NBA guard John McCarthy has died at 86.McCarthy was the first player in NBA history to record a triple-double in his first career playoff game, a feat that has been matched just three other times. He played six seasons in the league and closed his career by helping the Boston Celtics win the 1964 championship.McCarthy also helped Canisius earn a pair of NCAA appearances in 1955 and ’56.Canisius announced that McCarthy died Saturday of natural causes in the Buffalo suburbs, where he grew up and lived most of his life.DOCTOR-SEXUAL ASSAULT-MICHIGAN STATENassar-related case dismissed against ex-university chiefDETROIT (AP) — A judge has dismissed criminal charges against former Michigan State University President Lou Anna Simon.She was accused of lying to investigators in 2018 as they tried to learn what she knew years earlier about sexual assault complaints involving campus doctor Larry Nassar. Simon last year was ordered to trial in Eaton County, near Lansing. But Circuit Judge John Maurer tossed the case, saying a lower court judge had abused her discretion in finding enough evidence to keep the case going.Nassar is serving decades in prison after hundreds of women and girls came forward to say he molested them during visits for hip, back and leg injuries. Authorities alleged that Simon knew in 2014 that Nassar had been accused of molesting a patient at a campus clinic, and that she knew of the nature of the complaint.UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN-DOCTORU. of Michigan seeks to remove law firm in sex abuse suitsANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — The University of Michigan has announced that it is seeking to remove a law firm it hired to handle lawsuits following hundreds of allegations of sexual abuse by Dr. Robert Anderson, a sports doctor who worked at the school for decades.It's the second time the university has sought to remove a firm helping handle the allegations, and just two months after the firm was hired.The school said in April that it hoped to settle the lawsuits.WOMEN’S HOCKEY-FUTUREPro women's hockey association unveils 5-city regional planUNDATED (AP) — The Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association enters its second season with plans to regionalize its structure by basing players in five hub cities.Groups of 25 players will practice in rinks in New Hampshire, Minnesota, Toronto, Montreal and Calgary. The league says players will have access to dedicated dressing rooms, strength and conditioning facilities as well as support staff and coaches.The PWHPA was established a year ago following the collapse of the six-team Canadian Women’s Hockey League.The league says it will continue its Dream Gap Tour series of barnstorming stops across North America.XFL-LUCK LAWSUITMcMahon fights back in battle with LuckSTAMFORD, Conn. (AP) — Lawyers for XFL owner Vince McMahon have argued in court filings that he was justified in firing league CEO Oliver Luck last month just before the football operation shut down.Luck filed a federal lawsuit last month over his April 9 termination, alleging the wrestling magnate breached their contract. The father of former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck and a long-time football executive is seeking monetary damages.Attorneys for McMahon argued Wednesday that Luck was fired for cause, in part because he failed to devote his business time to his XFL duties. They claimed Luck abandoned his responsibilities after the schedule was halted by the coronavirus.The league suspended operations and laid off all its employees on April 10, three days before filing for bankruptcy protection.

Thursday Sports Headlines

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Jeff Gordon thought his wife, a former model, was kidding when she asked the NASCAR Hall of Famer to color her graying roots. He realized she was serious after the third request, FaceTimed her regular stylist and took a crash course in mixing color.

“Those&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/ivandebosch/status/1254148808293974021" target="_blank">are the types of things we do when we</a>&nbsp;are in quarantine,” Gordon said Wednesday. “There are things that you do to keep the glue together, to keep everybody healthy and sane. So if having gray hair stresses her out, then I am happy to contribute.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://racing.ap.org/article/column-nascar-set-huge-microscope-racing-returns" target="_blank">adjustments will continue Sunday</a>&nbsp;when NASCAR resumes its schedule at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina. Gordon, now in his fifth season as part of Fox Sports’ broadcast team, will not be at the track. He and Mike Joy will call the race from a studio in Charlotte and Regan Smith will be the only at-track reporter for the broadcast team, working the pits. Larry McReynolds, an analyst, will also work from the Charlotte studio.

NASCAR is l&nbsp;<a href="https://racing.ap.org/article/going-be-safe-nascar-outlines-safety-measures-race" target="_blank">imiting the number of people at the track</a>&nbsp;to only those essential to compete and broadcast the race, so Fox will have a dramatically reduced roster and use a high-speed custom-built drone that can offer more perspectives than usual since fans won’t be in the stands. The Fox team is still finalizing its approach, but expects to use instant messaging with crews to glean the critical information Gordon and Joy need to properly call a race.

Gordon and Joy spent the last two months calling iRacing events from a studio, so they have some experience with broadcasting remotely. Still, they will be winging some things as they adapt to watching the race on monitors instead of describing what’s unfolding right in front of them at the track.

“I’m just excited that the opportunity is there for NASCAR and motorsports,” Gordon told The Associated Press. “We are always comparing our sport to others but now we really get to really talk about the uniqueness of our sport and showcase that, because that is what is giving us this opportunity when other sports are going to be more delayed.

“Motorsports is fortunate to have this opportunity. I am more excited to see that in action, but I think everybody is nervous. Normally in a broadcast we have practice, we have qualifying, we get to work some things. This is going to be ‘Boom,’ just like the drivers and the teams. They are going to get in the car and drop the green flag and it is on, and for us it is going to be the same thing.”

NASCAR’s return will be conducted in just one day, with qualifying and practices canceled for a consolidated schedule. A random draw will be used to help set the field at Darlington — positions 1-12 will be set by a random draw from teams in those positions in owner points, followed by a draw for teams in positions 13 through 24, and finally another draw for teams ranked between 25th and 36th. The final four slots will go to non-chartered teams based on order of owner points.

The field will be frozen for a competition caution on Lap 30 and only the top 20 cars will be allowed to pit on that lap. The other 20 cars will pit on the next lap.

Gordon, a four-time NASCAR champion ranked third in all-time victories, applauded the new approaches the sanctioning body is taking as it attempts to restart the season. There are at least two Wednesday night races coming up, with the field May 20 at Darlington set by the finishing order of Sunday’s race — with a twist: The top 20 finishers Sunday will be inverted for Wednesday’s starting lineup.

With so much happening and NASCAR being the first major sports league with a nationally televised event, Gordon recognizes the responsibility he and Joy have to set the right tone. Gordon was a driver in NASCAR’s first race back after the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001 when Dale Earnhardt Jr. won in Dover, Delaware, and set an iconic image for the nation by waving the American flag out his window during his celebration.

“These are unique and challenging times and I hope that people that tune in are tuning in because they recognize the importance that sports play in our every day life,” Gordon said. “I think it can show hope. I think there’s going to be a lot of eyeballs on this event to see how it’s going to play out and how it’s going to be able to continue after this, and what that means for our country as people are trying to figure out how they are going to get back to work or normalcy or school and what life is going to look like over the next year. If a sporting event like this can happen, then, what’s the next step?”

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Jeff Gordon thought his wife, a former model, was kidding when she asked the NASCAR Hall of Famer to color her graying roots. He realized she was serious after the third request, FaceTimed her regular stylist and took a crash course in mixing color.“Those&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/ivandebosch/status/1254148808293974021" target="_blank">are the types of things we do when we</a>&nbsp;are in quarantine,” Gordon said Wednesday. “There are things that you do to keep the glue together, to keep everybody healthy and sane. So if having gray hair stresses her out, then I am happy to contribute.”The&nbsp;<a href="https://racing.ap.org/article/column-nascar-set-huge-microscope-racing-returns" target="_blank">adjustments will continue Sunday</a>&nbsp;when NASCAR resumes its schedule at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina. Gordon, now in his fifth season as part of Fox Sports’ broadcast team, will not be at the track. He and Mike Joy will call the race from a studio in Charlotte and Regan Smith will be the only at-track reporter for the broadcast team, working the pits. Larry McReynolds, an analyst, will also work from the Charlotte studio.NASCAR is l&nbsp;<a href="https://racing.ap.org/article/going-be-safe-nascar-outlines-safety-measures-race" target="_blank">imiting the number of people at the track</a>&nbsp;to only those essential to compete and broadcast the race, so Fox will have a dramatically reduced roster and use a high-speed custom-built drone that can offer more perspectives than usual since fans won’t be in the stands. The Fox team is still finalizing its approach, but expects to use instant messaging with crews to glean the critical information Gordon and Joy need to properly call a race.Gordon and Joy spent the last two months calling iRacing events from a studio, so they have some experience with broadcasting remotely. Still, they will be winging some things as they adapt to watching the race on monitors instead of describing what’s unfolding right in front of them at the track.“I’m just excited that the opportunity is there for NASCAR and motorsports,” Gordon told The Associated Press. “We are always comparing our sport to others but now we really get to really talk about the uniqueness of our sport and showcase that, because that is what is giving us this opportunity when other sports are going to be more delayed.“Motorsports is fortunate to have this opportunity. I am more excited to see that in action, but I think everybody is nervous. Normally in a broadcast we have practice, we have qualifying, we get to work some things. This is going to be ‘Boom,’ just like the drivers and the teams. They are going to get in the car and drop the green flag and it is on, and for us it is going to be the same thing.”NASCAR’s return will be conducted in just one day, with qualifying and practices canceled for a consolidated schedule. A random draw will be used to help set the field at Darlington — positions 1-12 will be set by a random draw from teams in those positions in owner points, followed by a draw for teams in positions 13 through 24, and finally another draw for teams ranked between 25th and 36th. The final four slots will go to non-chartered teams based on order of owner points.The field will be frozen for a competition caution on Lap 30 and only the top 20 cars will be allowed to pit on that lap. The other 20 cars will pit on the next lap.Gordon, a four-time NASCAR champion ranked third in all-time victories, applauded the new approaches the sanctioning body is taking as it attempts to restart the season. There are at least two Wednesday night races coming up, with the field May 20 at Darlington set by the finishing order of Sunday’s race — with a twist: The top 20 finishers Sunday will be inverted for Wednesday’s starting lineup.With so much happening and NASCAR being the first major sports league with a nationally televised event, Gordon recognizes the responsibility he and Joy have to set the right tone. Gordon was a driver in NASCAR’s first race back after the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001 when Dale Earnhardt Jr. won in Dover, Delaware, and set an iconic image for the nation by waving the American flag out his window during his celebration.“These are unique and challenging times and I hope that people that tune in are tuning in because they recognize the importance that sports play in our every day life,” Gordon said. “I think it can show hope. I think there’s going to be a lot of eyeballs on this event to see how it’s going to play out and how it’s going to be able to continue after this, and what that means for our country as people are trying to figure out how they are going to get back to work or normalcy or school and what life is going to look like over the next year. If a sporting event like this can happen, then, what’s the next step?”

Safety protocols include Fox calling NASCAR race from studio

BELOIT, Kan. - The Kansas 8-Man All-Star Games scheduled for June 13 in Beloit have officially been cancelled.&nbsp; The decision came down on Monday morning as the coronavirus pandemic continues to be a threat to the health of the public.&nbsp; 8-Man All-Star Game Committee Chairman David Dubbert issued the following statement on behalf of the committee:

Due to Covid 19 in the best interest of Public Safety, the Mitchell County Health Board and the Kansas 8 Man All Star Game Committee has officially cancelled the 2020 All Star games.&nbsp; The plan is to resume the games in 2021.

Vestal Teeter, head coach at Ingalls and the president of the Kansas Eight Man Football Association also presented this statement on behalf of the KEMFA:

It's with a heavy heart that we are cancelling the 8-Man All-Star Games this year.&nbsp; This decision was made with the players' best interests and safety in mind, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp; I am very sad for all the young men that have worked so hard to earn a chance to play in the game, and we wish them all the best as they pursue their future endeavors.

Many area athletes were selected to play&nbsp;in this year's games.&nbsp; Those area athletes picked to play include: Connor Goheen, Darrien Holloway and Steele Wolters of Osborne, Joe Ferguson and Reece Struckhoff from Thunder Ridge and Beau Batchman and Kilby Meyer of Sylvan-Lucas for the DII West team.&nbsp; Ben Labertew of Sylvan-Lucas was also chosen as an assitant coach for the DII West.&nbsp; For the DII East, Wyatt Darnell and Alex Ketter of St. John's/Tipton were picked as well as Carter Brown of Lakeside and Rylee Whelchel from Rock Hills.&nbsp; Rock Hills coach Colby Hamel was selected as a DII East assistant.&nbsp; For more historical info on the games, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.8manallstars.com/">www.8manallstars.com</a>.

BELOIT, Kan. - The Kansas 8-Man All-Star Games scheduled for June 13 in Beloit have officially been cancelled.&nbsp; The decision came down on Monday morning as the coronavirus pandemic continues to be a threat to the health of the public.&nbsp; 8-Man All-Star Game Committee Chairman David Dubbert issued the following statement on behalf of the committee:Due to Covid 19 in the best interest of Public Safety, the Mitchell County Health Board and the Kansas 8 Man All Star Game Committee has officially cancelled the 2020 All Star games.&nbsp; The plan is to resume the games in 2021.Vestal Teeter, head coach at Ingalls and the president of the Kansas Eight Man Football Association also presented this statement on behalf of the KEMFA:It's with a heavy heart that we are cancelling the 8-Man All-Star Games this year.&nbsp; This decision was made with the players' best interests and safety in mind, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp; I am very sad for all the young men that have worked so hard to earn a chance to play in the game, and we wish them all the best as they pursue their future endeavors.Many area athletes were selected to play&nbsp;in this year's games.&nbsp; Those area athletes picked to play include: Connor Goheen, Darrien Holloway and Steele Wolters of Osborne, Joe Ferguson and Reece Struckhoff from Thunder Ridge and Beau Batchman and Kilby Meyer of Sylvan-Lucas for the DII West team.&nbsp; Ben Labertew of Sylvan-Lucas was also chosen as an assitant coach for the DII West.&nbsp; For the DII East, Wyatt Darnell and Alex Ketter of St. John's/Tipton were picked as well as Carter Brown of Lakeside and Rylee Whelchel from Rock Hills.&nbsp; Rock Hills coach Colby Hamel was selected as a DII East assistant.&nbsp; For more historical info on the games, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.8manallstars.com/">www.8manallstars.com</a>.

8-Man All-State Games cancelled

BUHLER, Kan. - Buhler High school has a new girls basketball coach.  Athletic Director Justin Seuser told BW radio sports Thursday that Buhler has hired Sierra Michelstetter as their new coach. 

 She replaces Brittney Warner who has been the girls coach the past 3 seasons and took the crusaders ladies to the 4A state basketball tournament this past season. 

 Sierra played basketball at Seward County for two years and then finished her basketball career at UMKC.  She coached under John Ontjes at Hutchinson Community College. 

 The past two seasons she has been the girls middle school coach at Prairie Hills.

The new adventure begins today. 

I am proud and excited to announce I am the new girls Head Basketball Coach for BHS. I am excited for this new opportunity and I can’t wait to get started. 

Go Crusaders!

BUHLER, Kan. - Buhler High school has a new girls basketball coach. Athletic Director Justin Seuser told BW radio sports Thursday that Buhler has hired Sierra Michelstetter as their new coach. She replaces Brittney Warner who has been the girls coach the past 3 seasons and took the crusaders ladies to the 4A state basketball tournament this past season. Sierra played basketball at Seward County for two years and then finished her basketball career at UMKC. She coached under John Ontjes at Hutchinson Community College. The past two seasons she has been the girls middle school coach at Prairie Hills.MichelstetterThe new adventure begins today. 

I am proud and excited to announce I am the new girls Head Basketball Coach for BHS. I am excited for this new opportunity and I can’t wait to get started. 

Go Crusaders!

Michelstetter named Buhler Girls Basketball Head Coach

During an offseason when so much is uncertain, it makes sense that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6402">Mike McGuirl</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6408">DaJuan Gordon</a>&nbsp;don't even agree on who has the better Air Jordan collection or video game skills.

McGuirl and Gordon&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/watch/?Archive=12487&amp;type=Archive">spoke to the media</a>&nbsp;this week about staying focused on hoops, while social distancing and what next season could have in store for the Wildcats.&nbsp;

"Talking about Jordans," McGuirl said. "I would like to say that my Air&nbsp;Jordan collection is much better than DaJuan's."

It's no secret that K-State will look to their freshman and sophomore class to play a major role in 2019-20, but the importance of the returning Wildcats can't be discounted.&nbsp;

The only senior on next year's squad, McGuirl will be in a position to build on a season in which his shooting improved dramatically. Dialing in from distance at a .398 clip, McGuirl led K-State in three-point percentage despite never finishing among the top five Wildcats in that category before last season.&nbsp;

"Me being the only senior, I will be a leader, but we have a lot of good, young guys," McGuirl said. "DaJuan and same with Montavious [Murphy] and Antonio [Gordon]. They've been here for a year. They know really what it's going to take."

Gordon was a standout from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1425">Bruce Weber</a>'s 2019-20 freshman class, finishing third on K-State in minutes while making an immediate impact on the defensive end of the floor.&nbsp;

Put on your&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/kansas-state/2020.html">basketball nerd glasses</a>&nbsp;and take a look at these advanced defensive stats.

Gordon finished his freshman season in Manhattan third on the Wildcats in steal percentage and defensive box plus/minus, which estimates how many defensive points per 100 possessions a player was responsible for over an average player.&nbsp;

"What I learned most about myself last year is I can play under pressure against any big competition," Gordon said. "I just have to be patient and keep working and wait my turn. The biggest challenge is coming in next year and taking a bigger role, even though I don't think it's a challenge because I've taken that role before."

When you've got the nation's 14th-ranked recruiting class (<a href="https://n.rivals.com/team_rankings/2020/all-teams/basketball">Rivals.com</a>) headed to Manhattan, it's easy to feel good about some of the pieces arriving in purple next season.&nbsp;

"I know we have a lot of good, young talent coming in, and older talent as Rudi [Rueadale Williams] is coming in as a junior. We have a lot of good players coming in, a lot of good kids, and we've all been in group chat, text and Snapchat," McGuirl said. "We're all talking, getting along really well and getting to know each other as much as we can through all of this."

Five freshmen in the newest class will give Weber a young core to build around as Nijel Pack, Davion Bradford, Selton Miguel, Luke Kasubke and Seryee Lewis arrive in Manhattan.&nbsp;

"My senior year I played against [Lewis] before he moved schools," Gordon said. "We're both from Chicago. Just growing up playing against him and getting to know him on the court, going to basketball games with him…me knowing Seryee is pretty cool."

Rudi Williams and Carlton Linguard will give the Wildcats a pair of experienced JUCO players alongside UTEP transfer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=7400">Kaosi Ezeagu</a>.

Coming off a disappointing 2019-20 season, K-State's roster next season will feature a combined 56 starts at the Division I level (Ezeagu started eight games at UTEP).

"No pressure at all. A lot of motivation. A lot to prove," McGuirl said. "I mean, I'm not too worried about having a whole new team and people leaving. People have to do what they have to do, but I'm really happy with what we've got, and I couldn't be more happy, more excited."

Putting together a starting five and rotations that give K-State a chance to compete in conference play will be one of the biggest storylines to watch heading into next season.

With opportunities for starting minute available at point guard and in the front court, K-State fans won't need to wait long for a look at this highly-touted recruiting class in action.&nbsp;

Just don't expect the returning Wildcats to sit back and let the new guys have all the fun.

"I don't think we want to put [last year] in the past. It just wasn't our best year," Gordon said. "When the hard times come, that can motivate us to keep pushing and to know that we don't want to have a losing season again, to keep pushing and to know we want to win."



During an offseason when so much is uncertain, it makes sense that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6402">Mike McGuirl</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6408">DaJuan Gordon</a>&nbsp;don't even agree on who has the better Air Jordan collection or video game skills.McGuirl and Gordon&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/watch/?Archive=12487&amp;type=Archive">spoke to the media</a>&nbsp;this week about staying focused on hoops, while social distancing and what next season could have in store for the Wildcats.&nbsp;Sneakers and NBA2K were also discussed."Talking about Jordans," McGuirl said. "I would like to say that my Air&nbsp;Jordan collection is much better than DaJuan's."Returning Talent&nbsp;It's no secret that K-State will look to their freshman and sophomore class to play a major role in 2019-20, but the importance of the returning Wildcats can't be discounted.&nbsp;The only senior on next year's squad, McGuirl will be in a position to build on a season in which his shooting improved dramatically. Dialing in from distance at a .398 clip, McGuirl led K-State in three-point percentage despite never finishing among the top five Wildcats in that category before last season.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EUFTrKFUYAEUpjM?format=jpg&amp;name=900x900" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>"Me being the only senior, I will be a leader, but we have a lot of good, young guys," McGuirl said. "DaJuan and same with Montavious [Murphy] and Antonio [Gordon]. They've been here for a year. They know really what it's going to take."Gordon was a standout from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1425">Bruce Weber</a>'s 2019-20 freshman class, finishing third on K-State in minutes while making an immediate impact on the defensive end of the floor.&nbsp;Put on your&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/kansas-state/2020.html">basketball nerd glasses</a>&nbsp;and take a look at these advanced defensive stats.Gordon finished his freshman season in Manhattan third on the Wildcats in steal percentage and defensive box plus/minus, which estimates how many defensive points per 100 possessions a player was responsible for over an average player.&nbsp;Always working. <figure>
 <img src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ETbDq3dUwAASB3A?format=jpg&amp;name=900x900" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>"What I learned most about myself last year is I can play under pressure against any big competition," Gordon said. "I just have to be patient and keep working and wait my turn. The biggest challenge is coming in next year and taking a bigger role, even though I don't think it's a challenge because I've taken that role before."Meeting the New GuysWhen you've got the nation's 14th-ranked recruiting class (<a href="https://n.rivals.com/team_rankings/2020/all-teams/basketball">Rivals.com</a>) headed to Manhattan, it's easy to feel good about some of the pieces arriving in purple next season.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EWFmTUtVAAMG2HE?format=jpg&amp;name=900x900" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>"I know we have a lot of good, young talent coming in, and older talent as Rudi [Rueadale Williams] is coming in as a junior. We have a lot of good players coming in, a lot of good kids, and we've all been in group chat, text and Snapchat," McGuirl said. "We're all talking, getting along really well and getting to know each other as much as we can through all of this."Five freshmen in the newest class will give Weber a young core to build around as Nijel Pack, Davion Bradford, Selton Miguel, Luke Kasubke and Seryee Lewis arrive in Manhattan.&nbsp;"My senior year I played against [Lewis] before he moved schools," Gordon said. "We're both from Chicago. Just growing up playing against him and getting to know him on the court, going to basketball games with him…me knowing Seryee is pretty cool."Rudi Williams and Carlton Linguard will give the Wildcats a pair of experienced JUCO players alongside UTEP transfer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=7400">Kaosi Ezeagu</a>.Putting the Puzzle TogetherComing off a disappointing 2019-20 season, K-State's roster next season will feature a combined 56 starts at the Division I level (Ezeagu started eight games at UTEP)."No pressure at all. A lot of motivation. A lot to prove," McGuirl said. "I mean, I'm not too worried about having a whole new team and people leaving. People have to do what they have to do, but I'm really happy with what we've got, and I couldn't be more happy, more excited."Putting together a starting five and rotations that give K-State a chance to compete in conference play will be one of the biggest storylines to watch heading into next season.With opportunities for starting minute available at point guard and in the front court, K-State fans won't need to wait long for a look at this highly-touted recruiting class in action.&nbsp;Just don't expect the returning Wildcats to sit back and let the new guys have all the fun."I don't think we want to put [last year] in the past. It just wasn't our best year," Gordon said. "When the hard times come, that can motivate us to keep pushing and to know that we don't want to have a losing season again, to keep pushing and to know we want to win."

K-State Men’s Basketball Notebook – McGuirl, Gordon and the Wildcats’ Next Chapter

AUDIO: Eagle Radio Sports for Tuesday

The Kansas Basketball Coaches Association has announced their Girls Academic All-State Awards and four Trinity Catholic girls were honored.

Those honored are Alexis Flores, Meg Friday, Sierra Garcia and Hannah Schrock.

The Kansas Basketball Coaches Association has announced their Girls Academic All-State Awards and four Trinity Catholic girls were honored.Those honored are Alexis Flores, Meg Friday, Sierra Garcia and Hannah Schrock.

KBCA announces Girls Academic All-State Awards; Trinity Catholic girls honored

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Clemson’s most recent national championship football team also met the mark in the classroom. The Tigers' 2018 football team was one of 10 national champs to earn recognition from the NCAA for their Academic Progress Rate scores. Scores are based on academic eligibility, retention rates and degrees that are earned. Programs that produce a perfect score of 1,000 and those finishing among the top 10% of teams in their sport are honored by the NCAA. The other national championship teams to make the list were Colorado in women’s cross country, Columbia in men’s and women’s fencing, Oklahoma in women’s gymnastics, Stanford in men’s golf and women’s water polo, Stephen F. Austin in bowling, Texas in men’s tennis and UCLA in beach volleyball.

UNDATED (AP) — The new coronavirus is preventing football prospects from leaving home to visit campuses and is keeping college coaches from traveling to evaluate players across the country. North Carolina coach Mack Brown believes this could cause more 2021 prospects to stay home. That point remains up for debate. The 247Sports database shows more than 60% of verbally committed prospects to Power Five schools who made their decisions on or before March 11 chose schools within 300 miles of their hometowns. More than half the recruits who committed after that selected a college over 300 miles away.

UNDATED (AP) — Some Pac-12 football coaches are pitching an NCAA-mandated uniform start to the season. Washington coach Jimmy Lake said in a video conference with reporters that he would prefer for all major college teams to begin six weeks of preparation for the season at the same time. Colorado coach Karl Dorrell and Utah’s Kyle Whittingham backed Lake’s idea. Teams would need to begin conditioning and practice in mid-July for the season to start on time around Labor Day weekend, when Washington is scheduled to host Michigan. But there are complications with states taking different approaches to fighting the coronavirus pandemic.

NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball made an opening presentation to the players' union Tuesday on terms to start the coronavirus-delayed season. But a person familiar with the discussion tells The Associated Press that MLB did not make an economic proposal during its opening presentation. The meeting lasted between three and four hours. An agreement with the players’ association is needed to play ball. Owners would like to see the coronavirus-delayed season starting around the Fourth of July weekend in ballparks without fans.

SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Mariners have informed its personnel working under uniform employee contracts that certain employees will have a five-month reduction in pay, but there will be no furloughs or layoffs through Oct. 31. The pay reductions of at least 20% are for staff making $60,000 or more. The UEC covers employees on the major league coaching staff, coaches and coordinators in the minor league system, scouts and performance coaches.

PHOENIX (AP) —Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has opened the door for professional sports to return to the state. Ducey said on Tuesday that professional sports, including MLB, NBA, NHL and NFL can resume without fans on Saturday. The state is slowly starting to reopen during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Arizona Coyotes president and CEO Ahron Cohen is no longer with the organization. That’s according to a person familiar with the move. Cohen has been with the Coyotes since being hired in 2015 as chief operating officer and chief legal officer by previous owner Andrew Barroway. Cohen was named president and CEO in 2017 after Steve Patterson stepped back to serve as a consultant and adviser after a year on the job.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — First, Nojel Eastern entered his name in the NBA draft. Now the rising senior has put his name into the NCAA's transfer portal. Either way, it sounds as if the Purdue guard could become the second veteran in a month to leave the Boilermakers program after coach Matt Painter made the announcement Tuesday. Center Matt Haarms announced in April that he would play his final season at Brigham Young. As a junior, Eastern averaged 4.9 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists while shooting just 42.0% from the field and 48.5% from the free-throw line.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Clemson’s most recent national championship football team also met the mark in the classroom. The Tigers' 2018 football team was one of 10 national champs to earn recognition from the NCAA for their Academic Progress Rate scores. Scores are based on academic eligibility, retention rates and degrees that are earned. Programs that produce a perfect score of 1,000 and those finishing among the top 10% of teams in their sport are honored by the NCAA. The other national championship teams to make the list were Colorado in women’s cross country, Columbia in men’s and women’s fencing, Oklahoma in women’s gymnastics, Stanford in men’s golf and women’s water polo, Stephen F. Austin in bowling, Texas in men’s tennis and UCLA in beach volleyball.UNDATED (AP) — The new coronavirus is preventing football prospects from leaving home to visit campuses and is keeping college coaches from traveling to evaluate players across the country. North Carolina coach Mack Brown believes this could cause more 2021 prospects to stay home. That point remains up for debate. The 247Sports database shows more than 60% of verbally committed prospects to Power Five schools who made their decisions on or before March 11 chose schools within 300 miles of their hometowns. More than half the recruits who committed after that selected a college over 300 miles away.UNDATED (AP) — Some Pac-12 football coaches are pitching an NCAA-mandated uniform start to the season. Washington coach Jimmy Lake said in a video conference with reporters that he would prefer for all major college teams to begin six weeks of preparation for the season at the same time. Colorado coach Karl Dorrell and Utah’s Kyle Whittingham backed Lake’s idea. Teams would need to begin conditioning and practice in mid-July for the season to start on time around Labor Day weekend, when Washington is scheduled to host Michigan. But there are complications with states taking different approaches to fighting the coronavirus pandemic.NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball made an opening presentation to the players' union Tuesday on terms to start the coronavirus-delayed season. But a person familiar with the discussion tells The Associated Press that MLB did not make an economic proposal during its opening presentation. The meeting lasted between three and four hours. An agreement with the players’ association is needed to play ball. Owners would like to see the coronavirus-delayed season starting around the Fourth of July weekend in ballparks without fans.SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Mariners have informed its personnel working under uniform employee contracts that certain employees will have a five-month reduction in pay, but there will be no furloughs or layoffs through Oct. 31. The pay reductions of at least 20% are for staff making $60,000 or more. The UEC covers employees on the major league coaching staff, coaches and coordinators in the minor league system, scouts and performance coaches.PHOENIX (AP) —Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has opened the door for professional sports to return to the state. Ducey said on Tuesday that professional sports, including MLB, NBA, NHL and NFL can resume without fans on Saturday. The state is slowly starting to reopen during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Arizona Coyotes president and CEO Ahron Cohen is no longer with the organization. That’s according to a person familiar with the move. Cohen has been with the Coyotes since being hired in 2015 as chief operating officer and chief legal officer by previous owner Andrew Barroway. Cohen was named president and CEO in 2017 after Steve Patterson stepped back to serve as a consultant and adviser after a year on the job.WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — First, Nojel Eastern entered his name in the NBA draft. Now the rising senior has put his name into the NCAA's transfer portal. Either way, it sounds as if the Purdue guard could become the second veteran in a month to leave the Boilermakers program after coach Matt Painter made the announcement Tuesday. Center Matt Haarms announced in April that he would play his final season at Brigham Young. As a junior, Eastern averaged 4.9 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists while shooting just 42.0% from the field and 48.5% from the free-throw line.

Wednesday Sports Headlines

As North America’s pro&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ec3d0d24ae50402d5c58930c18cdb8e5">football</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/b04a01a3dd942ff525ac9ee0547a133d">basketball</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/6195fbe572aa83a0616053e9133a8551">baseball</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c3dbb9cbe101c8b5c6da8441d38f0823">hockey</a>&nbsp;leagues try to play again in a pandemic, minor league sports face a more treacherous climb to return.

While the NFL, NBA or Major League Baseball can run on television revenue, it’s virtually impossible for many minor leagues to survive with empty stadiums. The possibility of no games in 2020 could put some teams in jeopardy and change the landscape for attendance-driven sports in the short- and long-term future.

“There’s no future for minor league sports with empty stadiums. There’s zero,” said Gary Green, who owns Triple-A and Double-A baseball teams and an expansion franchise in the United Soccer League that plays in suburban Omaha, Nebraska. “If some of the teams don’t have deep-pocketed ownership groups or owners, I don’t know how they’re going to pay their bills.”

It is by far the most pressing question facing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/79f88643c6300add6745e14eb8c97541">Minor League Baseball</a>, the American Hockey League, ECHL, USL and others. The minors are deeply baked into the North American sports landscape as talent developers for the majors and cheap, family-friendly entertainment in towns big and small. Experts are divided on how they will survive and how soon they can bounce back.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred estimated a 40% loss of revenue if baseball is played with no fans and Herrick Feinstein sports law group co-chair Irwin Kishner estimated it is probably twice that for minor league sports. As it is, Green doesn’t expect minor league baseball this year, while both the ECHL and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/3bb3dfc5256dd504f56a2664a289e4c1">the AHL canceled the rest of their hockey seasons.</a>

Plans for 2020-21 include the grim possibility of empty or near-empty arenas.

“There’s a million questions that need to be answered,” minor league hockey player Nathan Paetsch said. “What’s next season going to look like? What’s the possibility of it starting? What type of season is it going to look it? Is there going to be fans or no fans? Is it going to be the same length of the season?”

Smith College economics professor Andrew Zimbalist agreed with Green that ownership will affect which teams survive. He also pointed to the ill-fated second attempt by the XFL as a cautionary tale.

“Some of the younger leagues that are out there I think are really, really fragile,” Zimbalist said. “I suspect that we’re going to see a lot of organizations and some leagues going out of business.”

There already were 40 minor league baseball teams scheduled to lose their MLB affiliations before the pandemic under a restructuring plan that would have to try to make it independently.

Beyond those teams, Syracuse University sports analytics professor Rodney Paul is worried about the status of others as the crisis goes on. He said there could be a redistribution of teams in multiple sports around the U.S. and Canada — and perhaps smaller leagues.

“Maybe it’s the same number of teams, but it’s in different cities based upon how things have changed over time,” Paul said. “Some of those areas that can’t afford that level of team because of either population change or income change in the area or something like that changes to a different area. But my guess gets to be that the longer this goes out, the fewer of those minor league teams in total we’ll have.”

That worries Professional Hockey Players Association executive director Larry Landon because jobs will be lost if teams fold, and players like Cameron Gaunce might be left trying to make ends meet.

“I think you’d be naive if guys weren’t worried about it,” Gaunce said. “I’ll make sure that I plan far enough in advance and I’ll have a contingency plan in place, whether that’s getting something to supplement my income or whether that is playing in a league that is going.”

Pro leagues elsewhere could be operating, providing other opportunities to baseball, hockey and soccer players short of the elite level. Foreign prospects could stay home longer to play.

Or North American minor leagues could discover different ways to make money. Kishner suggested mascot, coach or player appearances or selling ad space outside stadiums or arenas, and Paul pointed to gambling or daily fantasy game possibilities as potential sources of revenue.

AHL Rochester Americans GM Randy Sexton said he thinks minor league hockey teams can get going as long as 1,000-2,000 people are allowed in buildings. It might not be a full season, either.

“I think it may force us to be more creative,” AHL president and CEO David Andrews said. “I think we need to be really flexible as we look ahead as to what the league might look like and be open to whatever we need to be open to to do the best we can.”

Green already has thought ahead to what “socially distanced” crowds might look like and hopes that treatments and a coronavirus vaccine gets things back to normal eventually. But the end of the pandemic may not be enough to pack minor league arenas and stadiums if Zimbalist is correct about the situation and economic downturn changing people’s behaviors.

“It’s just going to take several years to get through it all, in my view, and while that adjustment or recuperation is happening, it means that there’s going to be higher rates of unemployment, lower rates of income and people are going to be more careful about how they spend their free income, their leisure income,” Zimbalist said. “So I don’t expect the leagues to really start flourishing again for several years.”

Paul, whose parents are season ticket holders for the Single-A baseball Daytona Tortugas, is more bullish on minor league sports in the near future because of their affordability and value to communities.

“Those types of entertainment experiences, we’re still craving those type of things,” he said. “Hopefully this doesn’t destroy that for the super long term or forever.”

As North America’s pro&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ec3d0d24ae50402d5c58930c18cdb8e5">football</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/b04a01a3dd942ff525ac9ee0547a133d">basketball</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/6195fbe572aa83a0616053e9133a8551">baseball</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c3dbb9cbe101c8b5c6da8441d38f0823">hockey</a>&nbsp;leagues try to play again in a pandemic, minor league sports face a more treacherous climb to return.While the NFL, NBA or Major League Baseball can run on television revenue, it’s virtually impossible for many minor leagues to survive with empty stadiums. The possibility of no games in 2020 could put some teams in jeopardy and change the landscape for attendance-driven sports in the short- and long-term future.“There’s no future for minor league sports with empty stadiums. There’s zero,” said Gary Green, who owns Triple-A and Double-A baseball teams and an expansion franchise in the United Soccer League that plays in suburban Omaha, Nebraska. “If some of the teams don’t have deep-pocketed ownership groups or owners, I don’t know how they’re going to pay their bills.”It is by far the most pressing question facing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/79f88643c6300add6745e14eb8c97541">Minor League Baseball</a>, the American Hockey League, ECHL, USL and others. The minors are deeply baked into the North American sports landscape as talent developers for the majors and cheap, family-friendly entertainment in towns big and small. Experts are divided on how they will survive and how soon they can bounce back.MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred estimated a 40% loss of revenue if baseball is played with no fans and Herrick Feinstein sports law group co-chair Irwin Kishner estimated it is probably twice that for minor league sports. As it is, Green doesn’t expect minor league baseball this year, while both the ECHL and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/3bb3dfc5256dd504f56a2664a289e4c1">the AHL canceled the rest of their hockey seasons.</a>Plans for 2020-21 include the grim possibility of empty or near-empty arenas.“There’s a million questions that need to be answered,” minor league hockey player Nathan Paetsch said. “What’s next season going to look like? What’s the possibility of it starting? What type of season is it going to look it? Is there going to be fans or no fans? Is it going to be the same length of the season?”Smith College economics professor Andrew Zimbalist agreed with Green that ownership will affect which teams survive. He also pointed to the ill-fated second attempt by the XFL as a cautionary tale.“Some of the younger leagues that are out there I think are really, really fragile,” Zimbalist said. “I suspect that we’re going to see a lot of organizations and some leagues going out of business.”There already were 40 minor league baseball teams scheduled to lose their MLB affiliations before the pandemic under a restructuring plan that would have to try to make it independently.Beyond those teams, Syracuse University sports analytics professor Rodney Paul is worried about the status of others as the crisis goes on. He said there could be a redistribution of teams in multiple sports around the U.S. and Canada — and perhaps smaller leagues.“Maybe it’s the same number of teams, but it’s in different cities based upon how things have changed over time,” Paul said. “Some of those areas that can’t afford that level of team because of either population change or income change in the area or something like that changes to a different area. But my guess gets to be that the longer this goes out, the fewer of those minor league teams in total we’ll have.”That worries Professional Hockey Players Association executive director Larry Landon because jobs will be lost if teams fold, and players like Cameron Gaunce might be left trying to make ends meet.“I think you’d be naive if guys weren’t worried about it,” Gaunce said. “I’ll make sure that I plan far enough in advance and I’ll have a contingency plan in place, whether that’s getting something to supplement my income or whether that is playing in a league that is going.”Pro leagues elsewhere could be operating, providing other opportunities to baseball, hockey and soccer players short of the elite level. Foreign prospects could stay home longer to play.Or North American minor leagues could discover different ways to make money. Kishner suggested mascot, coach or player appearances or selling ad space outside stadiums or arenas, and Paul pointed to gambling or daily fantasy game possibilities as potential sources of revenue.AHL Rochester Americans GM Randy Sexton said he thinks minor league hockey teams can get going as long as 1,000-2,000 people are allowed in buildings. It might not be a full season, either.“I think it may force us to be more creative,” AHL president and CEO David Andrews said. “I think we need to be really flexible as we look ahead as to what the league might look like and be open to whatever we need to be open to to do the best we can.”Green already has thought ahead to what “socially distanced” crowds might look like and hopes that treatments and a coronavirus vaccine gets things back to normal eventually. But the end of the pandemic may not be enough to pack minor league arenas and stadiums if Zimbalist is correct about the situation and economic downturn changing people’s behaviors.“It’s just going to take several years to get through it all, in my view, and while that adjustment or recuperation is happening, it means that there’s going to be higher rates of unemployment, lower rates of income and people are going to be more careful about how they spend their free income, their leisure income,” Zimbalist said. “So I don’t expect the leagues to really start flourishing again for several years.”Paul, whose parents are season ticket holders for the Single-A baseball Daytona Tortugas, is more bullish on minor league sports in the near future because of their affordability and value to communities.“Those types of entertainment experiences, we’re still craving those type of things,” he said. “Hopefully this doesn’t destroy that for the super long term or forever.”

Pandemic could change landscape of minor league sports

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– K-State fans will have the opportunity to interact virtually with members of the Wildcat football program – including head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1378">Chris Klieman</a>&nbsp;– as they host Connect with the Cats on Wednesday, May 13 beginning at 4:30 p.m., at k-statesports.com.

Fans can log on to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.k-statesports.com/Connect">www.k-statesports.com/Connect</a>&nbsp;beginning at 4 p.m., on May 13. The page includes a form for fans to submit questions for the Cats.

The program will be hosted by the Voice of the Wildcats,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/staff.aspx?staff=47">Wyatt Thompson</a>, who will interview Klieman, assistant head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1384">Van Malone</a>, quarterbacks coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1383">Collin Klein</a>&nbsp;and offensive line coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1386">Conor Riley</a>. The program will also include a special guest, K-State Ring of Honor member and 11-year NFL veteran Jordy Nelson.

Fans can reserve 2020 season tickets for only a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/news/2020/4/15/k-state-announces-new-25-deposit-plan-and-deadline-extension-for-football-season-tickets.aspx">$25 deposit by June 1</a>. Additionally, there are now two payment plan options – the first is the previously announced three-month plan, while there is now a four-month option as well to pay over the months of May, June, July and August. Also, those participating in seating upgrades will go through that process in June, and the Ahearn Fund deadline has been extended to June 30.

Although K-State is preparing for competition to resume in the fall and taking steps to ensure that all ticket and parking requests will be fulfilled as scheduled, athletics officials continue to monitor the pandemic on a daily basis and will comply with the recommendations of the University, Big 12, NCAA and health and government officials. In the event that the season cannot be played as scheduled, various ticket and donation resolutions will be offered.



MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– K-State fans will have the opportunity to interact virtually with members of the Wildcat football program – including head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1378">Chris Klieman</a>&nbsp;– as they host Connect with the Cats on Wednesday, May 13 beginning at 4:30 p.m., at k-statesports.com.Fans can log on to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.k-statesports.com/Connect">www.k-statesports.com/Connect</a>&nbsp;beginning at 4 p.m., on May 13. The page includes a form for fans to submit questions for the Cats.The program will be hosted by the Voice of the Wildcats,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/staff.aspx?staff=47">Wyatt Thompson</a>, who will interview Klieman, assistant head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1384">Van Malone</a>, quarterbacks coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1383">Collin Klein</a>&nbsp;and offensive line coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1386">Conor Riley</a>. The program will also include a special guest, K-State Ring of Honor member and 11-year NFL veteran Jordy Nelson.Fans can reserve 2020 season tickets for only a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/news/2020/4/15/k-state-announces-new-25-deposit-plan-and-deadline-extension-for-football-season-tickets.aspx">$25 deposit by June 1</a>. Additionally, there are now two payment plan options – the first is the previously announced three-month plan, while there is now a four-month option as well to pay over the months of May, June, July and August. Also, those participating in seating upgrades will go through that process in June, and the Ahearn Fund deadline has been extended to June 30.Although K-State is preparing for competition to resume in the fall and taking steps to ensure that all ticket and parking requests will be fulfilled as scheduled, athletics officials continue to monitor the pandemic on a daily basis and will comply with the recommendations of the University, Big 12, NCAA and health and government officials. In the event that the season cannot be played as scheduled, various ticket and donation resolutions will be offered.

Connect with the Cats Featuring K-State Football Set for tonight, May 13

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Southern California sports academy previously co-owned by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/KobeBryant">Kobe Bryant</a>&nbsp;has retired his “Mamba” nickname and rebranded itself nearly four months after the basketball icon’s death in a helicopter crash.

Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0060efaefa9ce0326cb20b10df90150f">Gianna</a>&nbsp;and seven other people were killed Jan. 26 as they flew to a basketball tournament at the Mamba Sports Academy.

The Thousand Oaks-based facility said it would return to its original name of Sports Academy. It was founded in 2016. Bryant, who spent 20 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers and helped the franchise win five NBA championships, joined in 2018.

Games were being played at the academy when the news broke of Bryant’s death. Players immediately stopped and many people in the gym burst into tears when told that Bryant was aboard the helicopter that crashed.

The academy is under consideration as a home base for an NBA minor league program that will provide one year of preparation, on and off the court, for some elite players who chose to bypass college but are not yet eligible for the NBA draft.

Bryant is the only NBA player to have his team retire two numbers in his honor. He was selected last month for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. A ceremony is scheduled for late August though it may be delayed until at least October because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Bryant’s production company, Granity Studios, has remained active since his death. The latest children’s book released by Bryant’s company last month —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1ed8156bda377b95fff876b9d63b43ad">“The Wizenard Series: Season One”&nbsp;</a>— became his fifth book to reach No. 1 on The New York Times’ best-seller lists.

The helicopter crash remains under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.

In February, Bryant’s widow, Vanessa Bryant, sued the estate of pilot Ara Zobayan and the charter company that owned the helicopter, Island Express. She claimed Zobayan failed “to use ordinary care in piloting the subject aircraft” and alleged negligence.

On Friday, Zobayan’s brother, Berge Zobayan, said in a court filing that Kobe Bryant knew the risks of helicopter flying and his survivors aren’t entitled to damages from the pilot’s estate, t&nbsp;<a href="https://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/story/2020-05-11/pilots-brother-kobe-bryant-knew-risks-of-flying-before-deadly-crash" target="_blank">he Los Angeles Times&nbsp;</a>reported.

Island Express responded in court papers Monday saying they are not responsible for damages, calling the crash, among other things, “an act of God” and “an unavoidable accident” that was beyond their control. The charter company also said the Bryants knew of the risks and dangers of flying in a helicopter and “voluntarily assume(d) the risk of the accident, injury, and damages” when they got on the chopper.

Vanessa Bryant separately last week filed a claim — a precursor to a lawsuit — against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department after deputies were accused of sharing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/8d194945516b44381b0a14857bbf183d">unauthorized photos of the crash site</a>. The claim was first reported by&nbsp;<a href="https://people.com/sports/vanessa-bryant-files-legal-claim-release-kobe-crash-scene-photos/" target="_blank">PEOPLE</a>; the investigation into the deputies’ photos was initially published by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-03-03/kobe-bryant-crash-photos-sheriffs-department-tried-to-keep-quiet" target="_blank">Times</a>. The sheriff has declined to comment, citing the ongoing litigation

The survivors of crash victims Sarah Chester and her daughter Payton filed a complaint Monday against the helicopter company and the pilot’s estate. Families of other victims previously filed lawsuits.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Southern California sports academy previously co-owned by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/KobeBryant">Kobe Bryant</a>&nbsp;has retired his “Mamba” nickname and rebranded itself nearly four months after the basketball icon’s death in a helicopter crash.Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0060efaefa9ce0326cb20b10df90150f">Gianna</a>&nbsp;and seven other people were killed Jan. 26 as they flew to a basketball tournament at the Mamba Sports Academy.The Thousand Oaks-based facility said it would return to its original name of Sports Academy. It was founded in 2016. Bryant, who spent 20 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers and helped the franchise win five NBA championships, joined in 2018.Games were being played at the academy when the news broke of Bryant’s death. Players immediately stopped and many people in the gym burst into tears when told that Bryant was aboard the helicopter that crashed.The academy is under consideration as a home base for an NBA minor league program that will provide one year of preparation, on and off the court, for some elite players who chose to bypass college but are not yet eligible for the NBA draft.Bryant is the only NBA player to have his team retire two numbers in his honor. He was selected last month for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. A ceremony is scheduled for late August though it may be delayed until at least October because of the coronavirus pandemic.Bryant’s production company, Granity Studios, has remained active since his death. The latest children’s book released by Bryant’s company last month —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1ed8156bda377b95fff876b9d63b43ad">“The Wizenard Series: Season One”&nbsp;</a>— became his fifth book to reach No. 1 on The New York Times’ best-seller lists.The helicopter crash remains under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.In February, Bryant’s widow, Vanessa Bryant, sued the estate of pilot Ara Zobayan and the charter company that owned the helicopter, Island Express. She claimed Zobayan failed “to use ordinary care in piloting the subject aircraft” and alleged negligence.On Friday, Zobayan’s brother, Berge Zobayan, said in a court filing that Kobe Bryant knew the risks of helicopter flying and his survivors aren’t entitled to damages from the pilot’s estate, t&nbsp;<a href="https://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/story/2020-05-11/pilots-brother-kobe-bryant-knew-risks-of-flying-before-deadly-crash" target="_blank">he Los Angeles Times&nbsp;</a>reported.Island Express responded in court papers Monday saying they are not responsible for damages, calling the crash, among other things, “an act of God” and “an unavoidable accident” that was beyond their control. The charter company also said the Bryants knew of the risks and dangers of flying in a helicopter and “voluntarily assume(d) the risk of the accident, injury, and damages” when they got on the chopper.Vanessa Bryant separately last week filed a claim — a precursor to a lawsuit — against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department after deputies were accused of sharing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/8d194945516b44381b0a14857bbf183d">unauthorized photos of the crash site</a>. The claim was first reported by&nbsp;<a href="https://people.com/sports/vanessa-bryant-files-legal-claim-release-kobe-crash-scene-photos/" target="_blank">PEOPLE</a>; the investigation into the deputies’ photos was initially published by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-03-03/kobe-bryant-crash-photos-sheriffs-department-tried-to-keep-quiet" target="_blank">Times</a>. The sheriff has declined to comment, citing the ongoing litigationThe survivors of crash victims Sarah Chester and her daughter Payton filed a complaint Monday against the helicopter company and the pilot’s estate. Families of other victims previously filed lawsuits.

Kobe Bryant’s sports academy retires “Mamba” nickname

Golf Channel was going to wait until a few hours after the Masters was over to show the latest project from its Golf Films unit called “Tiger Slam.” But it wasn’t going to wait until November.

The one-hour special, which chronicles Woods winning all four majors in a span of 294 days, will be shown two hours after Woods is seen in live competition for the first time in three months.

“Tiger Slam” is scheduled to air on May 24 at 8 p.m. EDT, right after Woods and Peyton Manning face Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady in a charity exhibition for COVID-19 relief efforts.

The film originally was set to be shown on April 12, the Sunday night after the Masters. But then the new coronavirus put a stop to sports, and the Masters eventually was rescheduled for two weeks before Thanksgiving. Golf Channel decided to wait until the right moment.

It helps, too, that “Tiger Slam” will be shown one week after the conclusion of “The Last Dance” documentary on Michael Jordan and his championship runs with the Chicago Bulls.

For Woods, the one-hour special covers four tournaments — his 15-shot victory in the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach in 2000, his eight-shot victory in the British Open at St. Andrews to complete the career Grand Slam, his playoff victory over Bob May in the PGA Championship at Valhalla and his battle with Mickelson and David Duval to win the Masters.

Woods remains the only player to hold all four professional majors at the same time.

The film, with limited commercial interruption, is narrated by Emmy Award-winning actor Michael Kenneth Williams. It features insight from caddie Steve Williams and swing coach Butch Harmon, along with sports media personalities at the majors. Steve Williams talks about the time they nearly ran out of golf balls to finish the fog-delayed second round on Saturday morning because Woods was putting in his hotel and left three balls in his room.

Golf Films began in 2014 with the four-part series on Arnold Palmer, which was shown right after the Masters that year. It also has produced a three-part series on Jack Nicklaus and a two-part film on Ben Hogan.

Tiger Woods was 31 when he won the PGA Championship at Southern Hills during a scorching week in 2007. He will be 54 the next time the PGA returns to Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The PGA of America announced Tuesday that Southern Hills, which has hosted seven majors, will hold the 2030 PGA Championship. The PGA said three years ago the Perry Maxwell design was on the rotation for another PGA, and it was simply waiting for the year.

Southern Hills once held three majors in a span of 13 years — the 1970 PGA Championship (Dave Stockton, the 1977 U.S. Open (Hubert Green) and the 1982 PGA Championship (Raymond Floyd).

The PGA Tour has said only that the first four events upon its return at Colonial next month will not have fans. That means the Memorial — now scheduled as the sixth event (July 16-19) — is planning to have spectators.

Dan Sullivan, the tournament director, says there will not be grandstands — Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio, didn’t need that many, anyway, because of the landscape — and beverages will be sold only in bottles.

Most interesting about his discussion last week with the Greater Columbus Sports Commission was the concept of chips inserted in badges to determine how fans are gathering.

“At any time we can know around the golf course how many people are collecting in a certain area,” he said. “We’re going to use that technology to make sure that we’re protecting everyone around us, protecting the folks that are inside those various venues and make sure that we’re monitoring effectively and producing a tournament that everyone can be comfortable with.”

The PGA Championship was supposed to be played this week at Harding Park in San Francisco, easy to overlook since this would have been only the second year of the championship moving to May. Its two networks are still going to fill the void with recaps of four PGA Championships on ESPN2 and full final rounds from two others on CBS Sports this weekend.

ESPN plans to show Justin Thomas winning in 2017 at Quail Hollow (noon EDT) and Rory McIlroy winning his second Wanamaker Trophy in 2014 at Valhalla (2:30 p.m. EDT, when it was a four-man race on the back nine that featured Phil Mickelson, Henrik Stenson and Rickie Fowler.

CBS has two of Tiger Woods’ most exciting runs in the PGA Championship on the weekend — one a win, the other a loss.

It starts Saturday at 2:30 p.m. EDT with Brooks Koepka holding off a strong rally by Woods at Bellerive in 2018. Woods shot a career-low 64 in a major. Koepka shot 66 and won by two with a record score of 264.

On Sunday at 3 p.m EDT is Woods’ 2000 victory at Valhalla, where he holed what he considers the biggest putt of his career, a 6-foot birdie to force a three-hole playoff against Bob May. Woods won for his third straight major, becoming the first player to win back-to-back at the PGA Championship in stroke play.

The LPGA rookie class of 1998 included a 20-year-old named Se Ri Pak. Most players didn’t know much about her. Laura Davies was the exception. She had seen the South Korean play in Europe the previous year, and when she discovered Pak’s odds at the season-opener were 66-1, she put 100 pounds on her to win before leaving England.

Davies was four months too early. It was this week 22 years ago when Pak opened with a 65 in the LPGA Championship while playing alongside Nancy Lopez and JoAnne Carner. She shared the 54-hole lead and then pulled away with a 68 for a three-shot victory. Seven weeks later, Pak won the U.S. Women’s Open in a playoff at Blackwolf Run.

She became a star, and stirred a nation that became a powerhouse in women’s golf.

Phil Mickelson has found a place to hang his clubs when he moves to South Florida: Michael Jordan’s place.

Mickelson said on the “Dan Patrick Show” on Monday that he was in the process of joining The Grove XXIII, the ultra-exclusive club that Jordan created.

“It’s a cool place,” Mickelson said. “He did an exceptional job there.”

Mickelson says joining the club is invitation-only, but that he knows a number of members. Mickelson, who lives in San Diego, says he and his wife have bought a lot about 10 or 15 minutes away from Jordan’s club. Golf Channel reported in January that Mickelson plans to move to Florida next year after his youngest child graduates high school.

In a season cut short by the new coronavirus, Sahith Theegala of Pepperdine and Natalie Srinivasan of Furman were voted top college golfers for the season. Theegala won the Fred Haskins Award, while Srinivasan won the Annika Award. ... The PGA Tour of Australasia says it will extend its season until March 2021, and such a wraparound season could become the norm. ... Renate Grimstad of Miami has been awarded the Dinah Shore Trophy, given to female college players who have a 3.2 GPA or better and maintain a scoring average of 78 or lower. Grimstad, a senior from Norway, broke the school record by a full stroke with a 71.0 scoring average.

Golf Channel was going to wait until a few hours after the Masters was over to show the latest project from its Golf Films unit called “Tiger Slam.” But it wasn’t going to wait until November.The timing turned out to be even better.The one-hour special, which chronicles Woods winning all four majors in a span of 294 days, will be shown two hours after Woods is seen in live competition for the first time in three months.“Tiger Slam” is scheduled to air on May 24 at 8 p.m. EDT, right after Woods and Peyton Manning face Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady in a charity exhibition for COVID-19 relief efforts.The film originally was set to be shown on April 12, the Sunday night after the Masters. But then the new coronavirus put a stop to sports, and the Masters eventually was rescheduled for two weeks before Thanksgiving. Golf Channel decided to wait until the right moment.It helps, too, that “Tiger Slam” will be shown one week after the conclusion of “The Last Dance” documentary on Michael Jordan and his championship runs with the Chicago Bulls.For Woods, the one-hour special covers four tournaments — his 15-shot victory in the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach in 2000, his eight-shot victory in the British Open at St. Andrews to complete the career Grand Slam, his playoff victory over Bob May in the PGA Championship at Valhalla and his battle with Mickelson and David Duval to win the Masters.Woods remains the only player to hold all four professional majors at the same time.The film, with limited commercial interruption, is narrated by Emmy Award-winning actor Michael Kenneth Williams. It features insight from caddie Steve Williams and swing coach Butch Harmon, along with sports media personalities at the majors. Steve Williams talks about the time they nearly ran out of golf balls to finish the fog-delayed second round on Saturday morning because Woods was putting in his hotel and left three balls in his room.Golf Films began in 2014 with the four-part series on Arnold Palmer, which was shown right after the Masters that year. It also has produced a three-part series on Jack Nicklaus and a two-part film on Ben Hogan.TULSA TIMETiger Woods was 31 when he won the PGA Championship at Southern Hills during a scorching week in 2007. He will be 54 the next time the PGA returns to Tulsa, Oklahoma.The PGA of America announced Tuesday that Southern Hills, which has hosted seven majors, will hold the 2030 PGA Championship. The PGA said three years ago the Perry Maxwell design was on the rotation for another PGA, and it was simply waiting for the year.Southern Hills once held three majors in a span of 13 years — the 1970 PGA Championship (Dave Stockton, the 1977 U.S. Open (Hubert Green) and the 1982 PGA Championship (Raymond Floyd).TRACKING FANSThe PGA Tour has said only that the first four events upon its return at Colonial next month will not have fans. That means the Memorial — now scheduled as the sixth event (July 16-19) — is planning to have spectators.Just not as many.Dan Sullivan, the tournament director, says there will not be grandstands — Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio, didn’t need that many, anyway, because of the landscape — and beverages will be sold only in bottles.Most interesting about his discussion last week with the Greater Columbus Sports Commission was the concept of chips inserted in badges to determine how fans are gathering.“At any time we can know around the golf course how many people are collecting in a certain area,” he said. “We’re going to use that technology to make sure that we’re protecting everyone around us, protecting the folks that are inside those various venues and make sure that we’re monitoring effectively and producing a tournament that everyone can be comfortable with.”PGA WEEKThe PGA Championship was supposed to be played this week at Harding Park in San Francisco, easy to overlook since this would have been only the second year of the championship moving to May. Its two networks are still going to fill the void with recaps of four PGA Championships on ESPN2 and full final rounds from two others on CBS Sports this weekend.ESPN plans to show Justin Thomas winning in 2017 at Quail Hollow (noon EDT) and Rory McIlroy winning his second Wanamaker Trophy in 2014 at Valhalla (2:30 p.m. EDT, when it was a four-man race on the back nine that featured Phil Mickelson, Henrik Stenson and Rickie Fowler.CBS has two of Tiger Woods’ most exciting runs in the PGA Championship on the weekend — one a win, the other a loss.It starts Saturday at 2:30 p.m. EDT with Brooks Koepka holding off a strong rally by Woods at Bellerive in 2018. Woods shot a career-low 64 in a major. Koepka shot 66 and won by two with a record score of 264.On Sunday at 3 p.m EDT is Woods’ 2000 victory at Valhalla, where he holed what he considers the biggest putt of his career, a 6-foot birdie to force a three-hole playoff against Bob May. Woods won for his third straight major, becoming the first player to win back-to-back at the PGA Championship in stroke play.THIS WEEK IN HISTORYThe LPGA rookie class of 1998 included a 20-year-old named Se Ri Pak. Most players didn’t know much about her. Laura Davies was the exception. She had seen the South Korean play in Europe the previous year, and when she discovered Pak’s odds at the season-opener were 66-1, she put 100 pounds on her to win before leaving England.Davies was four months too early. It was this week 22 years ago when Pak opened with a 65 in the LPGA Championship while playing alongside Nancy Lopez and JoAnne Carner. She shared the 54-hole lead and then pulled away with a 68 for a three-shot victory. Seven weeks later, Pak won the U.S. Women’s Open in a playoff at Blackwolf Run.She became a star, and stirred a nation that became a powerhouse in women’s golf.MICKELSON AND MICHAELPhil Mickelson has found a place to hang his clubs when he moves to South Florida: Michael Jordan’s place.Mickelson said on the “Dan Patrick Show” on Monday that he was in the process of joining The Grove XXIII, the ultra-exclusive club that Jordan created.“It’s a cool place,” Mickelson said. “He did an exceptional job there.”Mickelson says joining the club is invitation-only, but that he knows a number of members. Mickelson, who lives in San Diego, says he and his wife have bought a lot about 10 or 15 minutes away from Jordan’s club. Golf Channel reported in January that Mickelson plans to move to Florida next year after his youngest child graduates high school.DIVOTSIn a season cut short by the new coronavirus, Sahith Theegala of Pepperdine and Natalie Srinivasan of Furman were voted top college golfers for the season. Theegala won the Fred Haskins Award, while Srinivasan won the Annika Award. ... The PGA Tour of Australasia says it will extend its season until March 2021, and such a wraparound season could become the norm. ... Renate Grimstad of Miami has been awarded the Dinah Shore Trophy, given to female college players who have a 3.2 GPA or better and maintain a scoring average of 78 or lower. Grimstad, a senior from Norway, broke the school record by a full stroke with a 71.0 scoring average.STAT OF THE WEEKThe Champions for Charity match will be the 11th time Tiger Woods has played exhibition matches dating to 1999. His record is 2-4 when going head-to-head, 3-2 in team formats.FINAL WORD“Thursday and Friday will be no different for me except my wife won’t be watching.” — Joel Dahmen, on the prospect of playing with no fans.