Orlando’s Walt Disney World Resort is the "clear frontrunner to become the NBA’s playing site" to resume the season, according to sources. The NBA reportedly is in "serious discussions with Disney about the property, which has gained clear momentum over cities such as Las Vegas." It "remains unclear when the games would begin." But multiple sources said that the prospect of players "training in mid-June and playing by mid-July has been the most popular and possible scenario discussed." Orlando likely "would be a sole host" (THEATHLETIC.com, 5/20).

NBA teams are "expecting the league office will issue guidelines around June 1 that will allow franchises to start recalling players who’ve left their markets to return as a first step toward a formal ramp-up for the season’s resumption" (TWITTER.com, 5/20).

Ohio State AD Gene Smith today said that he is "confident that a plan can be implemented where 20,000 to 30,000 fans can attend football games in Ohio Stadium." Smith added that football scheduling "has to be completed in early July for a fall football season to take place." He is "hopeful that a 12-game season will be played" but said that "eight would be reasonable" (TWITTER.com, 5/20). Smith said he is "not 100 percent comfortable yet" with playing football this year. Smith: "With this process, you constantly get educated. I'm hopeful that I'm going to reach 100 percent comfort, but I'm not there yet" (TWITTER.com, 5/20).

See more from Smith in today's Podcast Picks.

The CFL today announced the “earliest it could begin play would be September,” if the '20 season is held at all. There has been “no drop-dead date released” for when a decision would have to be reached regarding the season. However, it is “believed teams would need to be preparing logistics by mid-June for a Labour Day kickoff” (TSN.ca, 5/20).

Meanwhile, the '20 Grey Cup scheduled for Nov. 22 in Regina “has been moved to 2022.” The site of this season’s championship game will be hosted by the team that “has a superior record to its opponent.” The '21 Grey Cup “will continue as planned in Hamilton” (REGINA LEADER-POST, 5/20).

The Flyers are exploring a number of new opportunities to engage fans if and when the NHL resumes play this season, more than likely without fans to start. That includes “second-screen live virtual cheering sections” and “drive-in watch parties at our arena in the parking lots,” according to Flyers and Wells Fargo Center President of Business Operations Valerie Camillo. In an interview today during the Leaders Week Direct conference, Camillo asked, “How do we recreate that ‘I was there’ feeling or ‘I was part of it’ feeling?”

She further explained that the Flyers are now consistently thinking of ways to create a feeling of fan unity and excitement for everyone who cannot attend games in person. Camillo: “When we do relaunch our season and when we do move to the Stanley Cup Finals, it’s going to feel like a great experience and a bonding experience for the community.”

IOC President Thomas Bach called organizing the postponed Tokyo Games a “momentous task,” but said the efforts are “in good shape.” Bach said, “There is no blueprint for this. We tried to reinvent the wheel day-by-day and I think we're making good progress.” He said the “hardest part” of the year-long delay had been trying to “secure the Olympic Village and the venues.” Bach: “We have to look at the entire organizational model, and there I must really applaud and thank the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee.” Bach noted in a post-coronavirus world the Games should be a “celebration and a demonstration of solidarity of humankind” (“Lunch Talk Live,” NBCSN, 5/20).

Former Turner Sports President David Levy told THE DAILY that he has accepted a role as a senior advisor to Arctos, a private equity firm that is looking to buy small stakes in professional sports teams. Levy will keep his role as an advisor to the Raine Group. Levy said the two roles do not overlap. Levy’s role at Arctos will see the well-known exec use his relationships throughout the sports business to find teams looking to sell a small, minority stake. Some owners are looking for cash infusions during this time when sports have been put on hold. Arctos’ main pitch is that it will be a passive investor -- it is not seeking voting rights. Sportico was first to report this news.

The Univ. of Oklahoma will "fully transition to digital ticketing for all sports, as well as for football parking." Ticket buyers "will no longer have the option to print their tickets at home." Tickets bought for "single games, mini-plans and season packages will be delivered via smartphones and the Sooner Sports app." In the announcement, OU AD Joe Castiglione said he hopes upcoming sports events for the '20-21 academic year "will occur as scheduled" (OKLAHOMAN, 5/20).

Verizon Media is launching “Reset Your Mindset,” a two-part virtual mental health event series taking place today at 4:00pm ET and next Wednesday, with appearances by several sports figures. The events, live-streamed on Yahoo, will feature athletes Serena Williams, Michael Phelps and Kevin Love, along with industry leaders such as Mark Cuban. Today's event will focus on the personal side of mental wellness, while next week will address holistic wellbeing in the workplace and how to maintain business at this time.

Love also will appear on tonight's episode of “#NBATogether with Ernie Johnson” on the NBA’s Twitter account at 7:00pm ET (THE DAILY).

The All In Challenge has surpassed $45M raised. New auctions and sweepstakes include:

• Two-day golf getaway with American Express, Tony Finau
• Four Packers alumni suite tickets, Lambeau Field tour
• Cruise on MLB Giants’ yacht, catered suite, custom jerseys
• Marlins manager for the day with Don Mattingly
• North Carolina-Ohio State tickets at Barclays Center, meet coach Roy Williams, N.Y. dinner
• Meet Mikaela Shiffrin at Women’s Ski World Cup, ski gear setup

Ohio State AD Gene Smith on his own podcast offered a rare first-person view of running a big-time athletic department in an unprecedented crisis. Smith said OSU's “objective” is to “make sure we have a plan that’s ready to be activated once decisions are made.”

ON THE CUSP: Columbia Univ.'s “CUSP Show” podcast sat down with Raleigh Anne Gray, Senior Dir at Wasserman's Athlete Exchange, who discussed her career arc and her work helping athletes enhance their digital footprint. Gray: “Everything we generate is typically through a conversation with the athlete, to tell their story.”

SMALL BALL: Jeff Neubarth, producer of the upcoming “The Match II” featuring Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, appeared on “No Laying Up” to preview Turner's made-for-TV event. Neubarth said the taping involved a smaller broadcast crew than normal: “We’re going to try to do more with less.”

Know of a podcast we should keep tabs on? Send an email to pbounds@sportsbusinessdaily.com. Also, check out SBJ's podcast home.

The NCAA D-I Council "voted to approve voluntary athletic activities" in football, men's basketball and women's basketball to start June 1 and go through June 30, according to sources. There had been a "moratorium on that" through May 31 (TWITTER.com, 5/20).

The Meijer LPGA Classic near Belmont, Mich., has been canceled after "initially being pushed back because of the coronavirus pandemic." The tourney at Blythefield Country Club, first rescheduled from June to October, is now slated for June 7-13, 2021 (CRAINSDETROIT.com, 5/20).

Boston College promoted Senior Associate AD/External Affairs JM Caparro interim AD. The move comes after Martin Jarmond's departure to become UCLA AD (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/20).

"Heck yeah, I'd be comfortable coaching a game without any fans. If the choice were play in front of no fans or not play, then I would choose to play in front of no fans" -- Univ. of Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh, on the prospect of not having fans in the stadium this season (ESPN.com, 5/20).

"To now understand as a business and sport what we have to do, I really feel like we’ve pressed the reset button for boxing through this, and that’s going to be a good thing as we strategize how to get this right. I'm ready to go back to work. We’ve built a business to weather this kind of storm, and when this storm is over, we’re going to be leading the way" -- Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn, on the future of boxing post-pandemic (THEATHLETIC.com, 5/20).

combine Napolitano & Newsom comments this wk with anticipated ramp in testing and, imo, only a second wave will keep the Pac-12's CA schools from playing football.#gotime

(for now)

— Jon Wilner (@wilnerhotline) May 20, 2020

CNN doing a report right now about Ben Roethlisberger's haircut/beard trim and Gov. Wolf's reaction, which the network termed "livid." Even interviewing the barber from Norman's. Really?

— Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) May 20, 2020

Some college administrators have mentioned to me that they're hoping higher education gets a federal bailout. This is an issue well beyond football being played.

— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) May 20, 2020

I like rainy days. I do not like rainy race days. There's a significant difference.

— Jenna Fryer (@JennaFryer) May 20, 2020

I've been listening to people talk about The Last Dance and Jordan's style of leadership. It's clear they don't understand that MJ came along during a generation of tough love, and that's how he lead. Foreign to the jersey swap follow me on social media generation. I get it

— Desmond Howard (@DesmondHoward) May 20, 2020

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

Pro sports stadiums in California remain empty (for now) but their parking lots are full. Rental car companies have parked hundreds of thousands of unused cars there as COVID-19 decimates the travel industry. No one is traveling so no one is renting cars. https://t.co/ricn3OYURd pic.twitter.com/mjQuKcPMNn

— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) May 20, 2020

We are passionate. We are resilient. We are strong. #WeAreNewYork pic.twitter.com/MW6i3bPHCg

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 20, 2020

NFL agent Leigh Steinberg will be the featured guest on the Southern California News Group’s "Newsmakers Series" on Zoom at 5:00pm PT. Register here.

Thank you to all of the front-line heroes from @pconnaughton, @InterpretedByBC and all of us with the Bucks!!

💚💚💚 pic.twitter.com/GbWVRqtlPo

— Milwaukee Bucks (at 🏠) (@Bucks) May 20, 2020

120,000 -- Goal for meals provided to St. Louis Area Foodbank via the MLS4TheLou ownership group's new charitable "social media campaign" dubbed #MEALS4THELOU (BIZJOURNALS.com, 5/20).