State leaders work with Wisconsin pro sports teams on reopening plans

NOW: State leaders work with Wisconsin pro sports teams on reopening plans
NEXT:

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Wisconsin Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, spoke to Bucks President Peter Feigin , Packers President Mark Murphy and Brewers President Rick Schlesinger about their evolving plans to attempt and play games during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fitzgerald, who also inquired about Wisconsin Badgers football, said he thought it was important to open up lines of communication.

“In case there’s something that either needs to be addressed by either the executive branch, or by the legislature to kind of help in developing kind of a path for them to in fact open.”

Governor Tony Evers said he is in continued talks about the progress of all the major teams.

“Our role in the process is to provide advice around social distancing," Evers said.

Fitzgerald says there are plenty of differences between the leagues. The NBA is trying to finish their season, while the MLB and NFL want to start theirs.

There are similarities, too. Fitzgerald cited the fact that all leagues want to incorporate all of their teams, which could be a challenge.

“You’ve got teams on the east coast and the west coast that are unable to play, or the states are unable to open up in a way that will allow them to either play games without fans, or with a lower percentage of fans," Fitzgerald said. "If one team is left out, then they’re not going to move forward. That was probably the most significant thing I learned.”

Fitzgerald said options to play games in empty stadiums are still on the table, but leagues are increasingly looking at plans that include having a limited number of fans in the seats.

Share this article:
Sign up for the Sports Newsletter