Charles Barkley Opens Up About Coronavirus & Fans Missing NBA Games

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Charles Barkley was vocal this morning on his thoughts of how the coronavirus is effection sporting events.

“What concerns me about no fans at sporting events,they still have to go to work,” he said while on NCAA’s March Madness conference call today.

“They still have to be walking around in the world. They don’t go to a sports venue, but they still have to live their lives.”

News today surfaced that The Ivy League has canceled its tournament due to the Coronavirus. Yale, which won the regular-season title, will represent the Ivy in the NCAA Tournament.

Effective today, the National Basketball Association, Major League Soccer, Major League Baseball have all temporarily limited locker room access to players and essential staff.

“After consultation with infectious disease and public health experts, and given the issues that can be associated with close contact in pre- and post-game settings, all team locker rooms and clubhouses will be open only to players and essential employees of teams and team facilities until further notice,”a joint statement from all four leagues read.

“Media access will be maintained in designated locations outside of the locker room and clubhouse setting. These temporary changes will be effective beginning with tomorrow’s games and practices. We will continue to closely monitor this situation and take any further steps necessary to maintain a safe and welcoming environment.”

During today’s March Madness conference call, Turner and CBS revealed that the NCAA will decide about locker room access for reporters. They also indicated that there’s been no decision yet on the matter.

Additionally, Coaches will be interviewed at under-8 and under-12 media timeouts in the second half.

Players are still expected to make themselves available for interviews outside clubhouses and locker rooms and in news conferences. Media will also be asked to maintain a six-foot distance from players during those Q&A sessions.

Some think the United State’s measures to contain the corona virus are drastic.

Not so fast!

Just yesterday, the Italian Olympic Committee announced that all sporting events will be suspended until at least April 3.

For those keeping score at home: This includes everything from the country’s top professional soccer league — Serie A — all the way down to local recreational sports.

In France, the French government has banned all gatherings of more than 1,000 people to prevent the spread of the corona virus.

Additionally, Wednesday’s match between Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund at Paris’s Parc des Princes stadium will have no fans in attendance.