Thirteen NFL teams for now "remain committed" to their training camp sites, according to Gary Graves of USA TODAY. With some teams scheduled to open in less than a month, “venues are proceeding with plans for a full camp despite” the labor uncertainty. However, the "logistical reality of student arrivals and fall football practice" has teams and venues "on edge as the lockout drags on." Each week lost “leaves schools less time to regroup between the departure of an NFL team and the beginning of the school year.” Those factors and an “uncertain timetable led the Jets (SUNY Cortland, N.Y.) and Ravens (McDaniel College, Westminster, Md.) to move their camps to team facilities last week.” Many other teams will “watch the calendar, gauging whether they’ll have to make contingency plans.” Giants VP/Communications Pat Hanlon yesterday said that the team “remained hopeful of returning to the University of Albany and hadn’t set a drop-dead date.” The Vikings have set a July 18 deadline “to decide on returning to Mankato, Minn., for a 45th consecutive year.” One site with “more wiggle room is San Antonio’s Alamodome, which has blocked off time” for the Cowboys. San Antonio Dir of Convention, Sports & Entertainment Facilities Michael Sawaya said, “We’ll hold it until they come” (USA TODAY, 6/29).
