Gov. DeSantis welcomes sports leagues, teams to play in Florida

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is happy to have sports in the state. Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis welcomes sports leagues, teams to play in Florida

By Erin Walsh | Last updated 5/13/20

It seems that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis really wants sports back. In fact, he's willing to extend his hand to any professional league and/or team that wants to play in the state in the coming weeks and months.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has opened the state to any pro sport team. "What I would tell commissioners of leagues is if you have a team in an area where they just won't let 'em operate, we'll find a place for your here in the state of Florida...we know it can be done safely."
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) May 13, 2020

This bodes well for Major League Baseball, especially considering many spring training facilities are located in the state. MLB is searching for ways to begin the 2020 campaign, and the Florida plan has seemed like one of the most logical.

Similarly, the NBA is considering Walt Disney World as a potential host site for the remainder of its season, so DeSantis' statement is a strong endorsement for that to happen.

Arizona Governor Doug Ducey also opened up the state to professional sports leagues, which could be an MLB host site as well. However, the NBA is not considering Arizona at the moment — it seems to be between Disney World and Las Vegas.

While the MLB and NBA are discussing potential sites, the NHL hasn't named areas where the league could resume its season as of yet. However, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman stated he doesn't plan on canceling the remainder of the season.

Florida, like some other states, is in the process of a phased reopening, and it's only a matter of time before we hear a decision on when and where professional sports leagues will resume.

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