DeSantis says 'all' pro sports will be welcome to play in Florida

If any professional sports teams can't play in their own area because of the coronavirus pandemic — assuming some leagues start again this year — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) wants them to know they have a home in the Sunshine State.

"All these professional sports are going to be welcomed in Florida," DeSantis said Wednesday during a press conference. "That may not be the case in every other state in this country, as we've seen. So what I would tell commissioners of leagues is, if you have a team in area where they just won't let them operate, we'll find a place for you here in the state of Florida."

DeSantis added that he believes that it "can be done safely."

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All of the major American sports leagues are tinkering with how to start or re-start their seasons, and Florida does indeed seem to be a key player in many potential plans. Major League Baseball, for example, wants to teams to play at their home parks, but would consider having some teams play at their Spring Training facilities in Florida or Arizona if their city can't handle games. Major League Soccer has also considered having all 26 teams settle in at an Orlando resort and play all their games at ESPN Wide World of Sports.