Reuters Sports News Summary

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs. Basketball-Spotlight on WNBA, as league navigates draft on lockdown

All eyes will be on the WNBA this Friday as it becomes the first major professional league in North America to carry out a "virtual draft" since the coronavirus outbreak that put the start of its season on hold. Oregon's guard Sabrina Ionescu is all but assured to be the first overall pick, going to the New York Liberty, as the league navigates the challenges of a draft with coaches and personnel on lockdown. E-sports pull in more viewers as coronavirus halts live sports matches

Sports fans and players across the world frustrated by canceled matches because of the coronavirus epidemic are turning to e-sports, with professional real-world athletes joining virtual game tournaments of football, auto racing and basketball. "We've seen a dramatic increase in viewership" for e-sports broadcasts, said Todd Sitrin, senior vice president of Electronic Arts Inc's Competitive Gaming Division, adding that the maker of battle-royale sensation "Apex Legends" saw an increase of two to three times its normal viewership in the first quarter of 2020. Sport could resume in empty stadiums says top U.S. disease expert

The NFL campaign and an abbreviated baseball season may be possible if games are played without fans and players are kept in lockdown, U.S. President Donald Trump’s leading infectious disease adviser said on Wednesday. It has been a little over a month since the NBA season was abruptly halted amid the novel coronavirus outbreak, with most professional sports following suit, leaving arenas and stadiums empty amid speculation over when live sport can return. Tokyo Games must focus on 'must haves' to cut costs: Coates

Olympics organisers must reduce costs related to the postponed Tokyo Games by focusing on the "must-haves", IOC Coordination Commission chief John Coates said following a remote meeting with Japanese planners on Thursday. The International Olympics Committee (IOC) and the Japanese government made the unprecedented decision last month to postpone the Games, scheduled to start in July, until next year because of the worldwide coronavirus crisis. Highly unlikely U.S. Open would be held without fans: USTA head

The organizers of the U.S. Open said on Thursday a decision on whether to hold the Grand Slam this year amid the coronavirus outbreak will be made in June, and playing it without fans is on the table but highly unlikely. The U.S. Open, which is scheduled to run from Aug. 31 to Sept. 13, is both the largest and loudest of the four Grand Slam events on the tennis calendar and United States Tennis Association (USTA) chief executive Mike Dowse does not anticipate that changing. Joshua says blockbuster Fury fight needed to determine number one status

Anthony Joshua has said a blockbuster fight for the undisputed world heavyweight title with Tyson Fury is needed to determine a single dominant figure in the division. Joshua, 30, defeated Mexican-American Andy Ruiz Jr in a December rematch in Saudi Arabia to win back his IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO titles while Fury won the WBC title in Las Vegas two months ago with a seventh-round stoppage of Deontay Wilder. USTA to oversee $50 million commitment to tennis amid COVD-19

The United States Tennis Association (USTA) said on Thursday it will oversee a commitment of more than $50 million in spending to help the sport weather what it described as the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the plan, the governing body for tennis in the United States said it will identify more than $20 million in savings by reducing salaries of its management and eliminating programmes in player development and operations. Halladay's widow on crash report: 'No one is perfect'

Responding to a report that Roy Halladay was doing aerial stunts and had drugs in his system when he fatally crashed his plane in 2017, the Hall of Fame pitcher's widow urged fans to be understanding. "Yesterday's NTSB report on Roy's accident was painful for our family, as it has caused us to relive the worst day of our lives. It has reinforced what I have previously stated, that no one is perfect," Brandy Halladay said in a statement released Thursday by the Philadelphia Phillies. F1 may have to slim down for races without a crowd

Formula One could start the season behind locked gates and without spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic but the glamour sport will likely have to slim down considerably to get the green light to go racing. Across Europe, bans on mass gatherings and public events have been extended into July and August even as countries begin to emerge from the strict lockdowns that have put sporting activities on hold. Report: Buccaneers shopping TE Howard

Buccaneers tight end O.J. Howard might not be around to catch passes from new quarterback Tom Brady, who signed a two-year deal to play for Tampa Bay in March. Howard, a former first-round pick, is available via trade according to former NFL executive Michael Lombardi.