Fauci says sports can likely only return this year without fans

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, isn't completely pessimistic about professional sports returning to action sometime this year, but they'll likely have to do it without spectators.

Fauci told Snapchat's Peter Hamby during an interview Tuesday that "there's a way" to get sports back up and running during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, and his idea echoes a much-maligned plan from Major League Baseball. "Nobody comes to the stadium," he said, referring to fans. "Put [the players] in big hotels, wherever you want to play, keep them very well surveilled."

He said players would have to be tested for COVID-19 every week, as well.

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The caveat of playing without fans is no surprise, and 72 percent of Americans said in a recent poll that they wouldn't plan on attending a live sporting event without a vaccine, anyway. But Fauci thinks there would still be plenty of interest in watching games or events on television.

One sport that may be on its way back soon is golf, which is more naturally suited for social distancing than other events. Per Golf Digest, the PGA Tour is expected to resume on June 11 for the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas. No fans are expected to be able to attend the event. Read more at Golf Digest.