CANTON, Ohio (AP) — The Pro Football Hall of Fame is still evaluating its options and says no decisions have been made about the Aug. 6 game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers. But Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine says it’s “highly unlikely” that crowds of 20,000 or so would be allowed for the game or the induction ceremony two nights later. DeWine says: “If the question was could that event occur today, the answer would be no. It would be extremely dangerous.”
OTTAWA (AP) — The NHL has settled on a format but not the locations where it will resume playoffs, if the coronavirus pandemic allows. The league has said it would like to have the games played in two hub cities and released a list of 10 candidates. Those include three Canadian cities, but the NHL says not if players are subject to the 14-day quarantine currently in effect at the border. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his government is “open” to hosting games, as long as local health authorities are too.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Sabres did not make the NHL's proposed 24-team expanded playoff, so they’ve decided to move on from their general manager. Jason Botterill is out, despite an apparent vote of confidence from the team’s owners just three weeks ago. Cost-cutting appears to be a priority. Owner Terry Pegula says the teams needs to be effectively, efficiently and economically run. He sums up the situation this way: “We're going to get leaner.”
UNDATED (AP) — Longtime fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr. will join his late father in NASCAR's Hall of Fame next year, the feature attraction in the class of 2021. Junior won 26 races during his Cup career, including two Daytona 500s and the 2001 Pepsi 400 — four months after his father's death at the same track in February. The late Mike Stefanik also was elected along with Red Farmer from the pioneer ballot. Ralph Seagraves was chosen as the Landmark Award winner for outstanding contributions to the sport.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — The University of Virginia will change its athletics logos to remove a design element that refers to the school’s history with slavery. A statement from the school's athletics department says fans raised objections to the curves put on the handles of the crossed sabres below the V. The curves were meant to mimic serpentine walls on campus that were designed by Thomas Jefferson to hide the university's slaves from public view. The school's athletics director says she was made aware of the negative connotation.