Coronavirus: California governor says sport could return in June

Los Angeles, May 19: California governor Gavin Newsom says the state could start holding sporting events without spectators in the first week of June if the current trend of declining hospitalisations and ICU patients due to COVID-19 continues.

"Sporting events, pro sports in that first week or so of June without spectators and modifications and very prescriptive conditions also can begin to move forward … if we hold these trend lines in the next number of weeks," Newsom said during a press conference on Monday (May 18).

Newsom said California, which was the first U.S. state to issue a stay-at-home order on March 19, is allowing more counties to accelerate their re-opening process.

However, he said not all areas are in the same position and specifically mentioned the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles County – home to many professional sports teams – as ones that may not be ready to move forward just yet.

"They can move at their own pace based upon their own local conditions," Newsom said.