The WNBA was expected to kick off its 2020 season May 15, but that didn’t quite go according to plan.
Instead, the league’s season remains on hold as it tries to devise a solution to its COVID-19 problem.
Like most professional sports leagues in the United States, the WNBA to paused the start of its regular season due to the coronavirus outbreak. That said, commissioner Cathy Engelbert remains optimistic about the paused season.
But Engelbert and other league officials aren’t getting ahead of themselves either. In the end, she believes data means much more to them than reopening dates.
“We’re getting closer to a plan that’s not changing so much that we can now engage on a more detailed level on what this all would look like,” Engelbert said, via The Washington Post’s Kareem Copeland. “… Now that things are starting to settle, I think over the next few weeks, we’ll have more to talk about.”
Ultimately, Engelbert hopes to get in a full 26-game season this year. So, the WNBA is keeping a watchful eye on other leagues as they slowly begin to reopen, as well.
“You’re always evaluating the environment (players) are in versus the environment you can provide them,” Engelbert said. “We’re working hard to have a very competitive season with competitive playoffs. Those are kind of two must-haves from my perspective to keep the momentum going.
“… One of the conditions for tipping this season would be to make sure we have the right protocols if there’s a positive test,” Engelbert said. “And that there aren’t restrictions that make it impracticable if there’s one positive test. So I think that’s kind of evolving as well.”
Hopefully, the WNBA isn’t far from returning.
