NFL Institute Coronavirus Rules Following Pandemic Outbreak
The NFL will put in place a series of mandates and guidelines this Wednesday as American football’s commissioner sends out a memo to all teams and their players, general staff and employees.
These measures will mirror those in place at most organizations across the United States as the country looks to slow the spread of the coronavirus, which has already taken over 350 lives across the nation.
The following instructions were sent out to NFL franchises, to be adhered by 6 p.m on Wednesday 25th of March.
All club facilities will be closed, with the following exceptions;
- Employees such as trainers and physios who are providing ongoing medical treatment to players
- Employees who are necessary to maintain physical security of the facilities and their contents
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was at pains to point out that some aspects of the game are not affected, stating;
“During this time, clubs are free to conduct all normal business operations. Including signing players, evaluating draft-ready prospects, selling tickets and other activities to prepare for the 2020 season”.
It’s clear that the NFL are looking to send out a message that while the current situation is a dire one, that a calmer, safer period should follow in the near future and that message will at least give some heart to the game’s huge fan-base.
The NFL draft is due to take place between April 23-25 and the new campaign is due to start on September 10th but clearly things are very much up in the air across the board, and as such these dates could well be adjusted accordingly.
