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MLS is making contingency plans for the MLS Cup final that include the possibility of playing the game at a neutral site due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, sources told ESPN.
The MLS Cup playoffs have reached the semi-final stage, with the Columbus Crew hosting the New England Revolution in Sunday’s Eastern Conference final, while Minnesota United will travel to Seattle to face the Sounders the following day in the final. of the Western Conference. The MLS Cup final will be played on December 12.
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With MLS using points per game during the regular season to determine playoff rankings, the Crew has the inside court to host the MLS Cup final as it stands, followed by Seattle, Minnesota and New England.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the US, with new cases surpassing 200,000 in the past two days and deaths approaching 3,000 a day, according to the New York Times. MLS has been preparing since before the start of the playoffs for the possibility that COVID-19-related restrictions, such as those currently in place in parts of California, could prevent a team from hosting a playoff game.
One source emphasized that such plans constituted a “back to back” and that MLS still intends to play the final at the home of the top-ranked team. However, it is unclear whether the league would attempt to host the game at the home of the lowest-seeded team if the highest-seeded finalist could not host, or whether it would proceed directly to a neutral venue.
If the MLS Cup final is moved to a neutral site, Orlando’s Exploria Stadium has been mentioned as a possible option due to the natural grass pitch and favorable weather conditions in December.
MLS could not be reached for comment during the reporting of this story.
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Last month, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine reimposed a mandate for wearing masks outdoors and inside businesses when you can’t stay six feet away from people. There is also a stay-at-home order in effect between 10 pm and 5 am, with a few exceptions. Franklin County, where Columbus is located, reported a seven-day moving average of 840 new cases, which translates to 64 cases per 100,000 residents. The Crew currently allows up to 1,500 ticketed supporters to attend games, as well as friends and family.
Two weeks ago, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced a four-week closure of bars, restaurants, entertainment venues and gyms to curb the COVID-19 pandemic. In Ramsey County, home to Minnesota’s Allianz field, the seven-day moving average is 508 cases, which translates to 92.3 per 100,000 residents. Minnesota United currently does not allow fans to attend games.
In Norfolk County, home to the headquarters of the Revolution at Gillette Stadium, the seven-day moving average was 240, which translates to 34 per 100,000 residents. A Revs spokesperson said the team is not yet allowing fans to attend games. Massachusetts currently requires people to wear masks in public places. Indoor meetings are limited to 10 people, while outdoor meetings are limited to 25 people. A stay-at-home order similar to the one in Ohio is also in effect.
In Washington state, a four-week health order limiting outdoor gatherings to five outsiders and avoiding meals inside bars and restaurants, among other restrictions, will remain in effect until December 14th. Since the beginning of the pandemic, fans cannot participate in the Sounders’ home games. The reported seven-day moving average in King County is 581.4 new cases, which is approximately 25.8 per 100,000 residents.
Source: espn.co.uk
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