(AP) — The NBA became the first major American sports league to suspend play because of the coronavirus pandemic, raising questions Wednesday night about the future of college basketball’s March Madness and other pro sports.

It looked as if the NBA might be moving toward playing in
empty arenas before it announced that a Utah Jazz player tested positive
for the coronavirus and it had decided to pause its season after
Wednesday’s games.

A person with knowledge of the situation said
the Jazz player who tested positive was center Rudy Gobert. The person
spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither
the league nor the team confirmed the presumptive positive test.

“The
NBA will use this hiatus to determine next steps for moving forward in
regard to the coronavirus pandemic,” the league said in a statement.

The
test result, the NBA said, was reported shortly before the Utah at
Oklahoma City game was called off. New Orleans at Sacramento also was
postponed after the announcement.

NCAA President Mark Emmert said
earlier in the day that only essential staff and limited family will be
allowed to attend the upcoming NCAA basketball tournaments, draining the
signature school spirit from one of the biggest events on the sports
calendar.

But the organization could reassess its plans in the wake of the NBA’s decision.

Upcoming
NHL games scheduled for Columbus, Ohio, and San Jose, California, and
college basketball tournaments for the Big Ten, Big 12, Big East,
Pac-12, Southeastern, Atlantic Coast, Atlantic 10 and American Athletic
conferences will be played without fans.

The National Hockey
League said it’s aware of the NBA’s decision and is continuing to
consult with medical experts and evaluate options. It expects to have
another update Thursday.

Also Wednesday, the Mariners said they
will move their home games in March out of Seattle, the U.S. city
hardest-hit by the outbreak; the team and Major League Baseball have not
decided whether the games will be played at the opponent’s ballpark or a
neutral site.

The Athletics announced they are working on
alternate plans for their season-opening series at the Coliseum after
the City of Oakland imposed a ban on gatherings of 1,000 or more people
through the end of March. The team hasn’t said whether it was
considering a different location for the games or playing in an empty
ballpark.

And the Italian soccer club Juventus said defender
Daniele Rugani has COVID-19 — the first player in the country’s top
division to test positive. The team said Rugani and “those who have had
contact with him” have been isolated.

The pinnacle of the college
basketball season, the NCAA Tournament is a month-long festival of pep
bands and face-painting and a cash cow that, along with football, helps
fund non-revenue sports at schools throughout the country. The decision
to play in fanless arenas will cost millions in ticket sales but
preserve billions in TV rights fees.

The 68-team men’s tournament
is scheduled to begin Tuesday in Dayton, Ohio, where Gov. Mike DeWine
has announced plans to ban “mass gatherings” to combat the spread of
COVID-19, which was declared a global pandemic by the World Health
Organization on Wednesday.

“It will have a different feel but it
will still be highly competitive, and the kids will still play like
there’s no tomorrow,” said Bill Self, the coach of the top-ranked Kansas
Jayhawks. “They’ll make the most of it. We’ll make the most of it.”

Elsewhere,
the Ivy League canceled all spring sports, as many American schools
told students not to return from spring break and prepare for classes to
be taught online. The conference had already canceled its men’s and
women’s basketball tournaments.

Other college basketball leagues
went ahead with their postseason tournaments Wednesday with fans in
attendance, although the Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, Big East, SEC, A-10
and ACC announced there would be no fans starting Thursday. The group
that owns the Capitals said their games will go on — with fans — despite
a D.C. Department of Health recommendation that “non-essential mass
gatherings” be postponed or canceled because of the coronavirus.

Also
bucking the trend toward caution: The major auto racing circuits also
said they plan to race as scheduled this weekend, including a
season-opening IndyCar event that is the centerpiece of a three-day
street festival expected to draw about 130,000 people to St. Petersburg,
Florida. There will be additional hand-washing and sanitizing stations.

NASCAR will race at Atlanta Motor Speedway as scheduled. Reporters will observe a six-foot buffer when interviewing drivers.

More
than 1,000 people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in the
United States, with 32 deaths; those rates are expected to continue to
rise.

Most people quickly recover from the virus after
experiencing only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough.
For some, especially older adults and people with existing health
problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

According
to WHO, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while
those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover.
In China, where the virus first exploded, more than 80,000 people have
been diagnosed and more than 58,000 have so far recovered.

MLB

The
Mariners and Major League Baseball have not announced where they will
play the team’s first two series: against the Texas Rangers from March
26-29 and the Minnesota Twins from March 30 through April 1.

Washington
Gov. Jay Inslee prohibited gatherings of more than 250 people in
Seattle, which has experienced the most COVID-19 deaths in the U.S.

“While
we hope to be back to playing baseball in Seattle as soon as possible,
the health and safety of our community is the most important
consideration,” the Mariners said.

Chicago Cubs pitcher Yu Darvish
thinks an MLB player will get the virus eventually, and when that
happens, he expects MLB to suspend its season just as the NBA did.

A message was left seeking comment from Major League Baseball after the NBA announced its hiatus.

Despite
his concerns about a player being diagnosed, Darvish said he was not
yet urging MLB to postpone opening day, which is set for March 26.

“I’m
not MLB commissioner so I can’t say anything about it,” he said. “But
if I’m the commissioner, I want to see more, like one more week.”

ITALY

The
governing body of European soccer said the games between Sevilla and
Roma in Spain, and Inter Milan and Getafe in Italy “will not take place
as scheduled.”

Italian soccer club Roma had said earlier Wednesday
it would not make its trip to Seville because “the plane from Italy was
not authorized to land in Spain.” Getafe President Ángel Torres had
said his team would not travel to Italy because he did not want to risk
his players’ health by going to an area struggling to contain the spread
of the virus.

The Italian soccer federation ordered Italy’s
women’s team to return home before the end of the Algarve Cup tournament
in Portugal fearing it would not be able to get a flight back. On
Wednesday, the Portuguese soccer federation canceled the final between
Italy and Germany.

Italy had already suspended all sporting events until April 3.

SKATING

The
World Figure Skating Championships in Montreal next week were canceled.
The top skating competition for a non-Olympic year was scheduled to
bring nearly 200 skaters from more than 50 countries to Montreal.

SKIING

Less
than 24 hours before the first race, the International Ski Federation
canceled the women’s Alpine skiing World Cup in Are, Sweden, handing
Federica Brignone of Italy the overall title and denying Mikaela
Shiffrin a return to racing this season.

Shiffrin, the defending
overall champion, had announced earlier Wednesday that she would compete
at the event after taking a six-week break from the sport following the
death of her father. The absence cost her the lead in the overall
standings.

FED CUP POSTPONED

The Fed Cup Finals in Hungary
were postponed after the local government said it was prohibiting public
indoor gatherings of more than 100 people. The International Tennis
Federation said it would try to find another suitable date for the
women’s tennis competition.

FRENCH LEAGUE CUP FINAL

The
French League Cup final between Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon, scheduled
for April 4, was postponed. A new date has yet to be announced.

RUSSIAN CROWDS

Russian
league games in Moscow will be limited to 5,000 people in the stadium
under new health regulations in the capital. Besides fans, that includes
players, team staff, stadium employees and security.

GYMNASTICS

The
International Gymnastics Federation said it was postponing two World
Cup events due to start next week. One is an all-around competition in
Stuttgart, Germany, and the other is an apparatus event in Doha, Qatar.
They double as Olympic qualifiers. The federation said it was also
postponing a rhythmic gymnastics World Cup event and a trampoline World
Cup event. Both were due to be held in Italy next month.

ESPORTS

A
global esports league with teams in North America, Europe and Asia is
canceling all matches through March and April. The Overwatch League had
already postponed all events in China and South Korea due to the
outbreak.

AP Sports Writers Tim Reynolds in Miami, Daniella Matar in Milan, Italy, Mattias Karen in London, Tales Azzoni in Madrid, Janie McCauley in San Francisco, Jenna Fryer in Charlotte, North Carolina, Tom Withers in Cleveland, David Skretta in Kansas City, Missouri, and Jake Seiner in Mesa, Arizona, contributed to this report.

Indiana coronavirus timeline

• March 6: Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) confirms the first case in Indiana. Officials say the Marion County resident had recently traveled to Boston to attend a BioGen conference as a contractor.
• March 8: ISDH confirms a second case. An adult in Hendricks County who had also traveled to the BioGen conference was placed in isolation. Noblesville Schools announces that a parent and that parent’s children will be self-quarantining after attending an out-of-state event where someone else tested positive.
• March 9: ISDH’s total of positive cases rises to 4. Avon Community School Corp. had announced on March 8 that a student tested positive; that case, along with another in Noble County, was confirmed by state health officials at a news conference.
• March 10: ISDH’s total of positive cases rises to 6 as the state launches an online tracker. Purdue and Indiana universities suspend classes for two weeks beyond their spring breaks. Ball State University basketball fans learn the Mid-American Conference tourney will have no fans in the stands. Three businesses operating nursing homes in Indiana announce they will no longer allow visitors.
• March 11: ISDH confirms four more positive cases in Indiana. The University of Indianapolis announces it will extend its ongoing spring break through March 22. The Indianapolis-based NCAA announces the men’s and women’s Final Four basketball tournaments will be conducted with essential staff and limited family attendance. The Big Ten announces all sports events, including the men’s basketball tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, will have no fans starting March 12. Ball State University announces classes are suspended for the rest of the spring semester. NBA suspends all games, including the Indiana Pacers, until further notice. Butler University extends its spring break, after which it will go to virtual classes.
• March 12: ISDH’s total of positive cases rises 12. Taylor University cancels international and domestic spring break trips for students and faculty sponsors. Indianapolis’ annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade is canceled. Gov. Eric Holcomb announces new protections that led to extended public school closings and the cancellation of large events across the state. The league including the Indy Fuel hockey team suspends its season. Indy Eleven says it will reschedule four matches, including its April 4 home opener. The NCAA cancels the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. The Big Ten suspends all sporting events through the winter and spring seasons.
• March 13: Gov. Holcomb announces additional actions — they included eliminating Medicaid co-pays for COVID-19 testing and lifting regulations limiting the number of work hours per day for drivers of commercial vehicles — to help stop the coronavirus. Wayzata Home Products, a Connersville cabinet maker, shut down and lays off its entire workforce due to market uncertainty associated with the coronavirus. The Indiana High School Athletic Association postpones the boys basketball tournament. Franklin College says it will have no in-person classes March 16 and 17, start online classes March 18 through at least April 5 and empty residence halls of students by 5 p.m. March 15. The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis says it will be closed March 14-28. The Indianapolis Public Library joins other libraries across Indiana and says it will close all facilities until further notice beginning at 5 p.m. March 14.
• March 14: ISDH’s total number of positive cases rises to 15. The Indiana Gaming Commission says all licensed gaming and racing operations will close 14 days starting March 16.
• March 15: ISDH’s total number of positive cases rises to 19, with 121 tested. St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis announces all elective, non-urgent surgeries are canceled as of Tuesday.
• March 16: Gov. Eric Holcomb announces the first Hoosier death. ISDH’s total number of positive cases rises to 24. Holcomb closes bars, restaurants and nightlubs to in-person patrons, while carryout and delivery services will still be allowed.
• March 17: ISDH announces the second Hoosier death. Indiana’s Catholic bishops announce the cancellation of Sunday and weekday public masses. Gov. Holcomb activates the National Guard to assist as needed with the virus response. Purdue, Butler and Indiana State universities cancel May commencement ceremonies.
• March 18: ISDH’s total number of positive cases rises to 39. Eli Lilly and Co. says it will use its labs to speed up testing in Indiana for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The 500 Festival announces suspends all planned, in-person events scheduled through May 9. Simon Property Group closes all malls and retail properties until March 29.
• March 19: ISDH’s total number of positive cases rises to 56. Gov. Holcomb extends Indiana’s state of emergency into May. Holcomb says all K-12 public schools will be closed until May 1 and nonpublic schools also are to close. Standardized testing was canceled. The state’s income-tax and corporate-tax payment deadline was extended to July 15. Holcomb says the state will waive job search requirements for people applying for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families. The IHSAA Boys Basketball State Tournament was canceled. The Marion County Emergency Operations Center upgrades to Level 1 status.
• March 20: ISDH reports the third Hoosier death and 23 new cases for a total of 79. Gov. Holcomb moves the state’s primary election to June 2. Indiana University says it is postponing May commencement ceremonies on all campuses. Indiana University Health says it can do limited virus testing.
• March 21: ISDH reports the fourth Hoosier death, and 47 new cases positive for a total of 126. A total of 833 people have been tested for the virus. Indiana National Guard details how it’s working with the Department of Transportation on distribution of medical supplies to hospitals.
• March 22: Indiana’s death toll rises to 7. ISDH reports 75 more positive cases.
• March 23: ISDH reports 259 cases of COVID-19, up from 201 a day earlier. Gov. Holcomb orders Hoosiers deemed nonessential to “stay at home” from March 24-April 7. Eli Lilly & Co. begins drive-thru testing for the coronavirus for health care workers with a doctor’s order. Ball State University cancels the May commencement.
• March 24: Indiana’s death toll rises to 13. Fred Payne of Indiana Workforce Development says any Hoosiers out of work, including temporary layoffs, are eligible to apply for unemployment benefits.
• March 25: Indiana’s death toll rises 17. Indianapolis Motor Speedway announces the Indianapolis 500 is moved to Aug. 23. IndyGo suspends fares and changes its ride schedules.
• March 27: Indiana’s death toll rises to 25. Marion County adds 192 new positive COVID-19 cases, the most of any county in the state for the day, for a total of 484. Indiana has 981 confirmed cases.
• March 28: Indiana’s death toll rises to 31. Marion County adds 100 new cases, the most of any county in the state, for a total of 584. Indiana has 1,232 confirmed cases.
• March 29: Indiana’s death toll rises to 32. Marion County adds 92 new positive cases, the most of any county in the state, for a total 676. Indiana has 1,514 confirmed cases. President Donald Trump announces in a press conference that the national social distancing recommendation will be extended by 30 days, to end April 30.
• March 30: Indiana’s death toll rises to 35. Marion County had the most new cases in the state with 135, for a total of 804. Indiana health commissioner Dr. Kris Box predicted the arrival of the surge in cases and deaths could come in mid-April to late April, but could be as late as mid-May, “but we don’t know.”
• March 31: Indiana’s death toll rises to 49. Gov. Holcomb extends the limits of bars and restaurants to offer only “to go” and “carry out” through April 6. Health commissioner Box, asked about when Indiana will be in a surge of COVID-19 cases, says she thinks the surge is starting.
• April 1: Indiana’s death toll rises to 65. Officials extend Marion County’s “stay at home” order through May 1. Marion County health officials say they will start COVID-19 testing services for frontline employees.The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis says it will remain closed until further notice. Gov. Holcomb announces the #InThisTogether campaign.
• April 2: Indiana’s death toll rises to 78. The state announces K-12 schools will be closed for the rest of the school year. The Indiana High School Athletic Association cancels spring sports seasons.
• April 3: Indiana’s death toll rises to 102. Gov. Holcomb extends the “stay at home” order through April 20. Indiana officials say the state has received a federal Major Disaster Declaration for all 92 counties. The Indiana National Guard says it, the Army Corps of Engineers and state health officials will begin on Saturday to assess sites for alternate health care facilities.
• April 4: ISDH reports 14 more deaths, bringing the state’s total to 116. 3,953 Hoosiers have tested positive, with 116 deaths and 19,800 total tests conducted. 
• April 5: ISDH reports 11 more deaths in Indiana.
• April 6: Indiana’s death toll rises to 139. The state reports one Madison County nursing home has had 11 deaths. Gov. extends the “stay at home” order through April 20. He also limits additional businesses to carry-out only.
• April 7: Indiana’s death toll rises to 173. A total of 5,507 Hoosiers have tested positive. Indiana health commissioner Box notes four long-term care facilities have 22 deaths that appear to be related to COVID-19.
• April 8: Indiana surpasses 200 deaths. Indiana now has 203 deaths and 5,943 confirmed cases. A total of 30,869 Hoosiers have been tested.
• April 9: ISDH says 6,351 Hoosiers have been tested positive, resulting in 245 deaths. A total of 32,133 Hoosiers have been tested.
• April 10: ISDH says 6,907 Hoosiers have tested positive for COVID-19, resulting in 300 deaths. A total of 35,040 Hoosiers have been tested. ISDH said 24 residents of a long-term care facility in Madison County have died from COVID-related illness.
• April 11: 30 more deaths are announced, bringing Indiana’s total to 330.
• April 12: A total of 343 Hoosiers have now died due to COVID-19, according to ISDH. Just under 8,000 cases have been confirmed in Indiana.
• April 13: Indiana stands at 350 deaths and 8,236 positive coronavirus cases, according to ISDH.
• April 14: ISDH announces 313 more cases and 37 more deaths, bringing the totals to 8,527 positive cases and 387 deaths.
• April 15: ISDH announces 49 more deaths for a total of 463. The total of positive cases grows to 8,955.
• April 16: Indiana reports 477 deaths and 9,542 positive cases. The governor says he expects Indiana to experience a reopening in early May.
• April 17: ISDH reports 519 deaths and 10,154 positive cases. The governor says that he will be extending the stay-at-home order through May 1, although some restrictions may be lifted in the new order.
• April 18: ISDH reports 26 more deaths. ISDH says there are now 10,641 positive cases and 545 Hoosiers have died as a result of the virus.
• April 19: 17 more Hoosiers have died according to ISDH, bringing Indiana’s total to 562.
• April 20: ISDH reports seven new deaths. ISDH says there are now 11,686 positive cases and 569 deaths related to the virus. Holcomb extended the “stay at home” order to May 1. The governor also said, if the medical supply chain is in good shape, other elective medical procedures can resume April 27.
• April 21: Indiana reports more than 12,000 positive cases and more than 600 deaths.
• April 22: Indiana reports 12,438 COVID-19 cases and 661 deaths. The Tyson facility in Logansport voluntarily closes so 2,200 employees can be tested for COVID-19.
• April 23: Indiana reports 13,039 COVID-19 cases and 709 deaths.
• April 24: Indiana reports 13,680 COVID-19 cases and 741 deaths. The Indianapolis City-County Council unanimously approved $25 million in an emergency meeting to help small businesses. Fishers City Council creates a city health department with a plan to test every resident.
• April 25: Indiana reports 14,395 COVID-19 cases and 785 deaths. ISDH launched an antibody testing study for Hoosiers on Saturday. Thousands of residents were randomly selected to participate in the study.
• April 26: Indiana reports 15,012 positive COVID-19 cases and 813 total deaths.
• April 27: Indiana reports 15,961 positive COVID-19 cases and 844 total deaths.
• April 28: Indiana reports 16,588 positive COVID-19 cases and 901 total deaths. Indiana officials say they are opening up COVID-19 testing to more Hoosiers, with expanded criteria and new testing services at 20 sites around the state.
• April 29: Indiana reports 17,182 positive COVID-19 cases and 964 total deaths. The state said it will spent $43 million on contact tracing.
• April 30: Indiana reports 17,835 positive COVID-19 cases and 1,007 total deaths. Indianapolis extends its stay-at-home order through May 15.
• May 1: Indiana reports 18,630 positive COVID-19 cases and 1,062 deaths. Gov. Eric Holcomb announces a phased reopening plan for the state of Indiana. He also extends the stay-at-home order to May 4.
• May 2: Indiana reports 19,295 positive COVID-19 cases and 1,115 deaths.
• May 3: Indiana reports 19,993 positive COVID-19 cases and 1,132 deaths.
• May 4: Indiana reports 583 more COVID-19 cases and 19 additional deaths. The stay-at-home order ends for most of Indiana. That order will end May 11 in Lake and Marion counties, and May 18 in Cass County.
• May 5: Indiana reports 21,033 positive COVID-19 cases and 1,213 deaths.
• May 6: Indiana reports 21,870 positive COVID-19 cases and 1,264 deaths. Ivy Tech Community College says it will continue virtual classes when summer courses begin in June.
• May 7: Indiana reports 22,503 positive COVID-19 cases and 1,295 deaths.
• May 8: Indiana reports 23,146 positive COVID-19 cases and 1,328 deaths. Cris Johnston, director of the Office of Budget and Management, said the state missed out on nearly $1 billion in anticipated April revenues. All state agencies will be given budget-cutting goals.
• May 9: Indiana reports 23,732 positive COVID-19 cases and 1,362 deaths.
• May 10: Indiana reports 24,126 COVID-19 cases in Indiana and 1,379 deaths.
• May 11: Indiana reports 24,627 COVID-19 cases in Indiana and 1,411 deaths.
• May 12: Indiana reports 25,127 COVID-19 cases in Indiana and 1,444 deaths.
• May 13: Indiana reports 25,473 COVID-19 cases in Indiana and 1,482 deaths. The first phase of a state-sponsored study of the coronavirus estimated about 186,000 Hoosiers had COVID-19 or the antibodies for the novel virus by May 1. Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett announced plans for limited reopenings of worship services, retail establishments, the libraries and restaurants.