The NFL has canceled its March 29-April 1 annual meeting amid widespread travel and business disruptions due to the spreading coronavirus, according to a memo sent by Commissioner Roger Goodell to team officials today. Most agenda items will shift to the already-scheduled spring meeting set for May 19-20 in L.A. League execs will speak directly to clubs during the days originally set aside for the upcoming meeting. Goodell said in the memo, "We are exploring certain alternatives that would allow for a productive, orderly review and discussion of the issues that were on the agenda for the annual meeting, as well as issues related to the coronavirus."
Hundreds of people were set to gather at The Breakers Palm Beach for the annual meeting, including owners, their families, team and league execs, coaches and GMs. Instead, more of those staffers will join the May meeting, which is normally a smaller affair. Likely agenda items for the canceled meeting included the NFL’s plan to give teams local marketing rights in certain overseas territories, and possible changes to the pass interference replay review rules.
However, the league has not altered the start of the league year, set for Wednesday, and the April Draft went unmentioned in the memo. That means the free agency calendar is following the status quo for now, despite decisions by a growing number of teams to pull their pre-Draft scouting teams off travel, or to limit travel. The Browns, Steelers, Vikings, Eagles and Redskins are among teams that have made such changes.
Goodell’s memo, and an ensuing public statement by the league, came after some clubs were growing frustrated on Thursday with the league’s silence. While the NFL does not face the same crisis that basketball, hockey, soccer and baseball leagues do, the travel restrictions raised competitive fairness issues as they relate to Draft preparation.
