Officials from the Michigan High School Athletic Association have confirmed winter sports in the state will begin on time, with guidelines to limit the spread of COVID-19. Previously:The Representative Council of the MHSAA confirmed during its meeting Thursday (Oct. 22) that 2020-21 winter sports will begin on time. Most high school sports traditionally begin practice the first three weeks of November, with games starting in mid-November and the first weeks of December. Start dates for middle school winter sports seasons are determined by local leagues and conferences. A number of precautions have been put in place, including for competition limits, numbers of spectators allowed and face coverings.

EDMONTON, AB – Gary Bettman will take his first sigh of relief in months when he presents the Stanley Cup. Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly had more questions of their own than answers next season, though it's always been questionable if it will start on Dec. 1 as tentatively planned. “If there’s an option to consider, believe me, we’re considering it,” Bettman said during his annual pre- Stanley Cup Final news conference. “Our goal is to get back to as great a sense of normalcy as possible under whatever circumstances are presented,” Bettman said. Before the Dallas Stars and Tampa Bay Lightning opened the final, Bettman acknowledged he's not taking a victory lap yet.

The decision comes with stringent COVID-19 safety guidelines, headlined by two main statistics the conference will monitor throughout the season:Two COVID-19 statsThe two stats outlined in the Big Ten release are team positivity rate and population positivity rate. Big Ten officials define population positivity rate and the “number of COVID-19 positive individuals divided by the total population at risk." Team test positivity rate and population positivity rate thresholds will be used to determine recommendations for continuing practice and competition, officials said. All COVID-19 positive student-athletes will have to undergo comprehensive cardiac testing to include labs and biomarkers, ECG, Echocardiogram and a Cardiac MRI. Following cardiac evaluation, student-athletes must receive clearance from a cardiologist designated by the university for the primary purpose of cardiac clearance for COVID-19 positive student-athletes.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Big Ten announced Wednesday that it has reinstated the 2020 fall football season, with games scheduled to begin Oct. 23-24. This reversal comes five weeks after Big Ten presidents voted against playing any fall sports. We respect the challenge that the virus has presented, however we will not cower from it.”It took several weeks, but Harbaugh has gotten his wish. Six days before postponing the season, Big Ten officials released a modified 10-game, conference-only schedule for each member. Even without bye weeks, a 10-game schedule would carry the Big Ten football season through Christmas.

UTICA, Mich. – After months of waiting and preparing for the season opener, the Utica High School football team’s first game was canceled after a player was exposed to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outside of school, officials said. Friday was supposed to be the season opener for the Utica Chieftains on their home turf. “We had high hopes this season was a go, and then a player got COVID-19,” quarterback Brett Berg said. It could happen to any player, person.”Since the team couldn’t practice, district officials had to cancel the season opener against L’anse Creuse North. That’s better than canceling the entire season.”Officials with the Michigan High School Athletic Association mandate 12 practices before the first game.

The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletics Conference (GLIAC) announced Wednesday that all fall sports are suspended until 2021 amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. A number of Michigan colleges and universities are impacted by the conferences suspension: Davenport University, Ferris State University, Grand Valley State University, Lake Superior State University, Michigan Technological University, Northern Michigan University, Northwood University, Saginaw Valley State University and Wayne State University. Plans to provide fall teams with competition opportunities during the spring semester are a priority for the league. Other GLIAC member schools include: Ashland University, Purdue University Northwest and the University of Wisconsin Parkside. The MAC is among the leagues hoping to play some semblance of a season in the spring, depending on the state of the pandemic.

DETROIT Fall sports for high schools in Michigan will begin with a phased-in approach, due to COVID-19, MHSAA announced on Wednesday. The Representative Council of the Michigan High School Athletic Association approved the next steps in returning sports for member schools, adopting a plan to phase in competition for fall sports in hopes of continuing to deter the spread of COVID-19. However, moderate and high-risk sports football, girls volleyball and boys soccer may begin practice but not competition. Football will delay the start of practice with full player pads and equipment until Monday, Aug. 17. The Council chose to make these adjustments to help ensure our athletes have a safe regular season this fall.

Finalized the fall sports guidance documents for the safe return to activity. This guidance includes general information along with sport-specific directives for students, coaches, staff, officials and media members. The concept is fall competition will take place as locally as possible with no large-scale events, invitationals or tournaments. See the fall sport-specific guidance documents for these limits. Allowed all low-risk sports to begin practice and competition as scheduled on August 12.

DETROIT Fall high school sports in Michigan are set to begin as normal, but there will be contingency plans in place for possible coronavirus (COVID-19) interruptions. High school football practices are currently scheduled to begin Aug. 10. If fall sports have to be suspended, theyll be rescheduled using a reconfigured calendar that could include winter sports starting in November and fall and spring seasons extending into July 2021, according to the MHSAA. The association also considered swapping traditional fall and spring sports seasons but determined that wasnt a feasible plan. Our plan moving forward is Fall in the Fall, starting on time.

DEARBORN, Mich. The Dearborn High School football team has canceled this weeks conditioning after players might have been exposed to the coronavirus (COVID-19), the school announced. Those players had been regularly participating in football workouts, officials said. Both football players self-reported their possible exposure, the school announced. The school plans to resume football conditioning Monday (July 20) as long as negative COVID-19 test results come back for both of the athletes who might have been exposed. We appreciate the continued cooperation of all our parents and student-athletes in this new normal that we are now all a part of, Jeff Conway, the CAA athletic director at Dearborn High School, said in a statement.

DETROIT As part of the amended 60-game MLB season, each team will be allowed to include four additional players on its Opening Day roster. Heres a look at some of the Detroit Tigers players who could benefit from expanded rosters. Finally, Castro was among the teams hottest hitters in spring training, which was important after an uninspiring cup of tea at the big league level in 2019. RP Shao-Ching ChiangShao-Ching Chiang was an interesting addition to the Tigers first spring training roster. Travis Demeritte #50 of the Detroit Tigers at bat against the Oakland Athletics at Ring Central Coliseum on September 06, 2019 in Oakland, California.

Gretchen Whitmer has signed an executive order allowing professional sports to return to the state without fans. The announcement comes just two days after Major League Baseball announced it will begin a 60-game season in late July. Whitmer made the announcement by signing executive order 2020-133, which sets guidelines for professional sports to return safely, specifically without live audiences. Good news, sports fans: We are now ready to gradually and safely allow professional sports to resume in Michigan, Whitmer said. No live audiences are allowed, except for staff of the facility at which a sporting event is held and media personnel reporting on, filming or otherwise documenting the sporting event, Whitmers executive order says.

DETROIT Major League Baseball will officially return for a 60-game season, with players reporting to spring training next week and Opening Day in late July. The MLB Players Association announced at 8:41 p.m. Tuesday that all necessary issues have been resolved between the players and the owners to move forward with a mandated season. Here are previous stories on the contentious negotiations:The MLBPA said players will report to training camp, referring to a second spring training period. The first round spring training was cut short March 12, when the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic shut down all major sporting leagues. According to reports from multiple MLB insiders from ESPN, MLB Network, The Athletic and other outlets, spring training will begin July 1, with Opening Day finally rolling around July 24.

DETROIT Will it be safe for children, high schoolers or anybody to play sports amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic? Experts have divided 25 popular sports into three categories: high, moderate and low risk. The National Federation of State High School Associations released their list, which is based on the amount of close, sustained contact, along with other factors. Oklahoma recently rejected a plan that would have required social distancing and allowed all high school sports to resume without restrictions. One idea being considered by many states would change the calendar to shift lower risk sports to fall and move higher risk ones to the spring.

Seasons suspended, games in empty stadiums and quarantines: Wednesday evening was one of the craziest sports nights in history, and it had nothing to do with the outcomes of any games.