States say pro sports without fans could resume soon if criteria met

What's happening: State governors who have been encouraged by the lower amounts of hospitalizations and coronavirus cases said Monday that the kick-start of pro sports without spectators could be something to look forward to if these trends continue.

• California Gov. Gavin Newsom said they would look at statewide announcements to allow pro sports to resume without an audience as early as June 1.
• New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo encouraged sports teams in the state Monday to start planning to hold games without fans in attendance and televise them, offering help.
• In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott announced pro sports may resume May 31 if their submitted plans are approved by the state.

The big picture: Pro sports teams are exploring several options such as isolating MLB players in hotels and testing during the season.

• There could still be strict guidelines for NBA teams resuming workouts, with no more than four players allowed within a facility at one time, Sports Illustrated reports.

Yes, but: There's a lot more to a sports team than just the players — coaches, trainers and media broadcasters would also need to be quarantined after traveling.

The bottom line: Whether due to social distancing efforts or summer weather, infection rates will eventually go down. But this early in the pandemic's cycle, that reality might act as a false positive of sorts if pro sports moves too quickly, endangering players and others.