Sports News Roundup: MLB's pay-cut proposal; European leagues to resume and more

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Players building counter to MLB's pay-cut proposal

Upset with MLB's economic offer to players, the Major League Baseball Players Association soon will present a counteroffer to owners that includes a schedule of more than 100 games and an accompanying prorated cut in pay, ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Thursday. Major League Baseball presented the players union with a revised economic plan for the yet-to-start 2020 season on Tuesday, proposing a sliding-scale of pay cuts, with the top-paid stars due to take the biggest hits. The proposal was MLB's attempt to revise the year's finances based on shifting realities amid the coronavirus pandemic, which caused spring training to shut down in mid-March and has led to Opening Day being postponed indefinitely.

Beer company bashes Astros with new brew

Major League Baseball fans deprived of the opportunity to heckle the Houston Astros for the 2017 sign-stealing scandal have been offered the chance to make their point from home by drinking a beer. In January, the league said that Astros players near the dugout had hit garbage cans to let its batters know what pitch was coming next during the club's 2017 championship season.

Biles 'praying for the best' with rescheduled Games

Four-times Olympic champion Simone Biles said she was hopeful the rescheduled Tokyo Games will take place next year, amid concern over the global response to the novel coronavirus. "I'm just praying for the best, hoping that it goes on – for selfish reasons, of course – but for all the athletes around the world working towards this dream," said Biles, appearing at the virtual espnW Summit NYC.

Soccer: European leagues to resume, Denmark gets creative

European soccer will continue its cautious return to play following the COVID-19 stoppage over the next week as a number of the continent's smaller leagues restart with some novelties and one team in serious trouble for breaking coronavirus rules. Portugal, Denmark, Poland, Serbia, Austria, Croatia and Ukraine are among countries which will again be able to enjoy league soccer, albeit in unusual circumstances with no spectators allowed at games.

League expects coaches to return to team facilities soon

NFL teams may be able to bring back members of their coaching staff as early as next week, Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a memo distributed to teams on Thursday. All 32 clubs closed in March amid the coronavirus outbreak that forced coaches, players and personnel into lockdown, with some teams welcoming back non-player staff for the first time last week.

IOC says record high female representation on commissions

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) says women now account for almost half of the membership of its various commissions, an all-time high in the organisation's drive for gender equality. Across the 30 IOC commissions, 47.7% of the positions are held by women, up from 45.4% in 2019.

Hall delays Bryant's enshrinement ceremony due to COVID-19

The Naismith Basketball Memorial Hall of Fame said on Thursday the enshrinement ceremony for the Class of 2020, a group that includes the late Kobe Bryant, has been postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The enshrinement ceremony for the nine-member group, which includes Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett, was scheduled for Aug. 29 in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Draisaitl wins Art Ross, Ovechkin wins ninth Richard Trophy

With the NHL regular season officially deemed final, the league announced its regular-season trophy winners on Thursday, led by Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl and more history made by Washington Capitals winger Alex Ovechkin. Draisaitl won the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leader in points after finishing with 110, 13 clear of teammate Connor McDavid, who finished second. The 24-year-old, who led the league in assists (67) and ranked fourth in goals (43) was on pace to post 127 points if the full 82-game season had been played.

Tiger Woods docuseries coming to HBO in fall

Tiger Woods is the latest sports superstar to be the subject of an upcoming television documentary. HBO will air the documentary later this year, journalist Armen Keteyian told the Burst Your Bubble podcast. Keteyian was the co-author of the best-selling 2018 biography of Woods.

Ferrari to establish driver program in Australia

The Ferrari Driver Academy (FDA) will set up a new development program in Sydney as they look to develop regional talent for the future, Motorsport Australia said on Friday. The academy at Sydney Motorsport Park will look to attract drivers from Australia, New Zealand, countries in East and Southeast Asia as well as the Indian subcontinent.