Fauci: Sports Could Return Soon — But Only If Fans Don't Attend

Top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci says sports could return this summer — but only if fans don't attend.

He told Snapchat's "Good Luck America" on Tuesday that athletes would also have to stay in hotels and be "very well surveilled." They'd need to be tested often — perhaps even weekly.

Fauci acknowledged that some people are skeptical sports could survive without fans in the stadiums.

He said: "People say, you know, well, you can't play without spectators. Well, I think you'd probably get enough buy-in from people who are dying to see a baseball game."

The threat of the coronavirus disrupted U.S. sports in early March. As Newsy previously reported, professional leagues including the NBA and NHL paused their seasons. And Major League Baseball pushed back Opening Day at least eight weeks. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred told reporters last month that owners are still hopeful that a full 162-game season is possible.