NASCAR took swift action yesterday, banning the display of the Confederate battle flag at all races and events. In a statement, NASCAR said the presence of the flag “runs contrary to our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all fans, our competitors and our industry.”

Bubba Wallace, the circuit’s only Black driver, had been pushing for the change, telling CNN that, “No one should feel uncomfortable when they come to a NASCAR race. It starts with Confederate flags.” Wallace also drove a Black Lives Matter-themed car last night during a race at Martinsville Speedway after wearing an “I Can’t Breathe” shirt prior to Sunday’s race.

Protest News: 

• More than 1,400 players, coaches, and front office personnel are urging Congress to pass the Ending Qualified Immunity Act. The bill, introduced by Rep. Justin Amash and Rep. Ayanna Pressley, aims to end protections for government officials that prevent them “from being held personally liable for constitutional violations.”
• The International Olympic Committee will reexamine the protest rules laid out for the Tokyo Games, consulting with athletes before making a change. The IOC published guidelines in January banning any protest at the Tokyo Games but seem to have softened its stance following the death of George Floyd.
• The U.S. Soccer Board of Directors repealed a policy that required players to stand during the national anthem. The policy was originally put in place after U.S. Women’s National Team star Megan Rapinoe kneeled for the anthem in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick.
• MLS announced it would support players who protest police brutality and systemic racism during the national anthem. MLS Commissioner Don Garber said the league will not be playing the national anthem before matches during its Orlando-based tournament as teams won’t be lining up on the field before the match and no fans will be in the stands.
• The Premier Lacrosse League announced an expansive approach to diversity and inclusion, including mandatory anti-racism training for employees, internships for Black students, a more inclusive hiring process, non-profit support to end systemic racism, and Election Day off, as well as Juneteenth – in honor of June 19, the date slavery ended in the U.S.

MLS is set to restart its season on July 8 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, joining the NBA at the facility. All 26 MLS teams will arrive in Orlando on June 24 for the aptly named ‘MLS is Back Tournament,’ which will run through August 11. 

The group stage of the tournament will count toward regular season standings while the tournament winner will receive a spot in the Concacaf Champions League. MLS is planning to resume its regular season after the conclusion of the tournament but has not yet set a date for that.

Return Calendar: 

• Major sports properties currently in action: UFC, NASCAR, Bundesliga
• June 11: Both LaLiga and the PGA return to action today, with the Spanish soccer league resuming its season and golfers hitting the links at the Colonial Golf Course in Texas.
• June 17: The English Premier League returns to action.
• June 20: Italy’s Serie A restarts.
• June 26: The National Women’s Soccer League begins its month-long tournament in Salt Lake City.
• July 23: LPGA is expected to resume play with the Marathon Classic in Ohio.
• July 24: The WNBA is rumored to begin a shortened 22-game schedule at IMG Academy in Florida.
• July 25: Premier Lacrosse League launches a two-week fanless tournament.
• July 31: The NBA returns to action in Orlando.
• TBD: The NHL has announced a format for return to play but has not yet set dates as of yet, while MLB continues discussions with players for a return.

The NFL’s shortening of the preseason could happen earlier than first thought. The league and the NFL Players Association are reportedly in talks to cut this year’s preseason down to two games, rather than the scheduled four to help players get into game shape and allow teams to develop gameday protocols.

A shorter preseason would allow for teams to have more time to prepare for the season, given the hurdles COVID-19 has presented this offseason. The annual Hall of Fame Game played in Canton, Ohio, is scheduled for August 6 with 20,000 fans in attendance – but that could be pushed back if the preseason is cut down. The season is still expected to start on time on Sept. 10 – whether stadiums will be full or not is another question.

The preseason was already slated to be chopped to three games in 2021 as the NFL will add a 17th regular-season game that season.

As live sports begin to return without fans, sports leagues and organizations have tried to find unique ways to maintain that sense of excitement for fans watching at home.

When Spain’s La Liga returns to play today, the league will look to show off several new broadcast innovations. While real fans won’t be in the stands, a collaboration with Norwegian firm Vizrt will offer a digitized crowd and “institutional messages” during stoppages. La Liga will also debut new camera angles – some of which were not possible with fans in the stands.

Without a real crowd, the league will turn to EA Sports’ FIFA 20 for audio, which already records in-stadium sound for its video game action. That sound will be “adapted to be implemented in real-time response.” La Liga isn’t alone in its usage of FIFA’s audio as Sky Sports plans to use the video game audio in Premier League broadcasts. Broadcasts for the German Bundesliga have also used piped-in audio.

In the U.S., the NBA could turn to the sounds of NBA 2K when it returns to play next month in Orlando. The artificial crowd noise would help fill a void, but not everyone is happy about the prospect. Los Angeles Clippers forward Montrezl Harrell tweeted: “Wtf I hope they not serious.”