NFL To Release 2020 Season Schedule Despite Coronavirus Outbreak

The NFL is set to release a full 17-week schedule for the upcoming 2020 season despite the fact that the sporting world has been decimated by the outbreak of the coronavirus.

League spokesman Brian McCarthy has confirmed that there will be no major changes to the scheduling of the 2020 season, which may well have come as both a surprise and a bonus to fans of the game.

The season is scheduled to get underway on September 10th with the Super Bowl booked in on February 7th in Tampa, Florida.

McCarthy also reiterated his desire that fans would indeed be present in stadiums throughout, though most conventional wisdom suggests that most, if not all, large sporting events will be played, at least initially, in front of as few people as possible due to the guidelines related to social distancing.

On that note some sports have considered looking to play large portions of their seasons in neutral venues, therefore mitigating the risk of playing out across a number of locations, but this isn’t something McCarthy is considering for the NFL.

Currently the league is evaluating the situation when it comes to reentering team facilities ahead of the new season, with all teams currently shut down as per regulations. Off season workouts will take place virtually, with players maintaining their fitness levels in individual training programs.