The Boston Marathon has been cancelled as an in-person event, and will instead be held virtually in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the Boston Athletic Association announced Thursday.
The big picture: This is the first time the race has been cancelled in its 124-year history. It was previously slated for Sept. 14, after the initial April 20 race date was postponed. The BAA 5K scheduled for Sept. 12 has also been cancelled. Would-be runners for both events will be refunded their entry fee.
The English Premier League plans to restart its season on June 17 after the coronavirus brought the league to a pause in mid-March, the BBC reports.
The state of play: According to a tentative agreement, players and Premier League staff will be tested twice a week and the games will be played without any fans in the stadium, per the BBC.
Despite the lack of live games, sports betting stocks have performed particularly well over the past month, highlighted by fantasy sports/betting platform, DraftKings, and gaming operator, Penn National.
By the numbers: Since going public on April 24, DraftKings' stock is up 82%, while Penn National Gaming — which acquired Barstool Sports in January — is up 130%.
The NCAA's proposed rule change that would allow student athletes to earn money off their name, image and likeness (NIL) should result in major financial opportunities, most notably on social media.
Why it matters: The emergence of this new revenue stream could alter the landscape of recruiting, with athletes potentially factoring earnings potential into their college decision.
The NHL unveiled its return-to-play plan on Tuesday, formally announcing that 24 of its 31 teams will return for a playoff tournament in two hub cities, if and when medically cleared.
Why it matters: Hockey is the first major North American sports league to sketch out its plans to return from a coronavirus-driven hiatus in such detail, and it's also the first one to officially pull the plug on its regular season, which will trigger ticket refunds.
