MLB today announced a league-wide initiative that will create a level of uniform compensation for minor league players, covering the period between now and the originally scheduled start of their season. Each player who is under a Minor League Uniform Player Contract will receive a lump sum equal to the allowances that would have been paid through April 8. MLB will continue working with its 30 clubs to develop an industry-wide plan for MiLB player compensation from April 9 onward (MLB).

The NBA today informed teams that all practice and training facilities must be closed to players and staff “until further notice” beginning tomorrow, according to sources. Players had been able to use practice facilities with certain restrictions. The league also is preventing players from working out “at any non-team practice or training facilities -- essentially leaving players no choice but to attempt to work out at home” (ESPN.com, 3/19). This has been an “expected action, as Americans are encouraged to remain home as part of social distancing” (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 3/19).

MLS is "targeting a May 10 return to play and will consider pushing back its championship game by a month into December." After announcing a 30-day suspension last week because of the coronavirus, the league today said that it will follow last weekend's recommendation from the CDC to "not hold events involving more than 50 people for eight weeks." The USL yesterday extended its suspension of play through May 10 (AP, 3/19).

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Indianapolis Motor Speedway is preparing potential Indy 500 postponement plans in case it comes to that, sources say. However, IndyCar CEO Mark Miles today said that the goal is still to run as scheduled in late May. Amid the coronavirus outbreak, sources say that IMS and IndyCar are planning for what would be a historic decision to postpone the event, should organizers feel there is no other choice. It is not yet clear when IMS would postpone the 500 to. The 500 is coming under increasing pressure to postpone simply due to how many other events in roughly the same time frame have already done so, including F1’s Monaco Grand Prix being canceled earlier today.

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NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman addressed the prospects for hockey's return, saying the league has explored and will "continue to explore ... every scenario, which will depend on the timing, of when it’s safe to go out." Bettman said “under the current circumstances, we can go later than we’ve ever gone” with the season, but “how late is a good question.” Bettman: “What we want to make sure of is that we don't do anything from this season that might impact next season having the normalcy it’s supposed to have. The two factors are timing relative to how late we can go without impacting next season, and making sure that whatever we do competitively -- if we’re going to complete this current season -- it has to have integrity” (“Get Up,” ESPN, 3/19).

Major League Rugby today announced that it will "cancel the remainder" of the '20 season, the third for the now 12-team North American league. This comes a week after MLR issued a "30-day pause to the regular season." MLR Commissioner George Killebrew "vowed the league would return next year" (AFP, 3/19). A source said that with the "recent travel and quarantine recommendations imposed upon the country, playing out the remainder of a campaign where more than half of the league's players are internationals seemed untenable" (KSL.com, 3/19).

It has been a fascinating time across sports over the last two weeks, with never-before-seen cancellations and postponements that have brought games to a halt. NCAA Tournament? Canceled. The Masters? Postponed. NBA season? On hold for the foreseeable future. We all need a pick-me-up in these times, and SBJ/SBD reader David Paro, the founder of sports marketing firm Deep Alliance, gives his own take on the current landscape with a parody of the Don McLean classic, “American Pie.” Paro presents, “The Week Our Sports World Died.”

Under Armour pledged $2M to "relief efforts supporting people affected" by the coronavirus pandemic: $1M to Feeding America and another $1M in "monetary and product donations" to Good Sports, a nonprofit aiding youth sports leagues (BIZJOURNALS.com, 3/19). 

The New York Racing Association announced that live racing at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens will be suspended until further notice (NYRA).

Strat-O-Matic will simulate the '20 MLB season daily, beginning with Opening Day games as originally scheduled on March 26 (Strat-O-Matic).

"While we haven’t come out and announced the spring game date being canceled, I don’t see any way that’s going to happen" -- Oklahoma AD Joe Castiglione, on the school's spring football game (OKLAHOMAN, 3/19).

"It’s perfect for social distancing" -- Major League Fishing President & CEO Jim Wilburn, on the league being able to continue despite the coronavirus (SI.com, 3/19).

"If there's a silver lining in all of this, getting a woman and a player who's lived it and understands it in that position to make a difference at the negotiating table may actually cause a settlement to happen" -- ESPN's Julie Foudy, on Cindy Parlow Cone succeeding Carlos Cordeiro at the helm of U.S. Soccer and how it affects the federation's legal dispute with the USWNT (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 3/19).

It's 12:20. The ball should be tipped, and there you should be, running for your life. A shooting star.
A moment of silence, please.

— Joedy McCreary (@JoedyMcCreary) March 19, 2020

Already missing the annual “What damn channel is TrueTV again” game I’d always play right around now....

— Brandt Packer (@BPACKERVOLS) March 19, 2020

It’s crazy that just over a week ago people felt totally comfortable going to a major sporting event. Now unimaginable.

— Joe Weisenthal (@TheStalwart) March 19, 2020

Football secondary, health everything. But when #coronavirus finally tackled, 19/20 season must be completed whether that means September, October, whenever (will require time for players to regain sharpness). Voiding/freezing season ruins sporting integrity, unleashes lawyers...

— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) March 19, 2020

Every nba player has started making content on tiktok since the suspension 😂

— Buster (@BusterScher) March 19, 2020

If you see a tweet we will not want to miss, send it to us at editorial@sportsbusinessdaily.com.

College hoops fans will always have to wonder what might have occurred in this year's NCAA Tournament, but Yahoo Sports took a stab at simulating the seeding and outcome.

471,698 -- The average number of unique viewers Major League Fishing has seen for the first three stages of the '20 Bass Pro Tour, up 75% from last year (MLF).