Deprived of sports since mid-march, many are looking for alternatives in televised athletics. Though the NHL and NBA have announced plans to return to camps and start playing games in late July to August, that’s still a long way away from live sports. So, in the interest of bridging the gap until we can watch hockey again, here are some options to fill your spectating needs.
For golf enthusiasts, or bored people, The Charles Schwab Challenge — a PGA tournament in Fort Worth, TX — is taking place on CBS this weekend. As it stands, Xander Schauffele is in the lead at -13, but Gary Woodland, Justin Thomas, and Jordan Speith are all challenging him entering the final round.
The golfers contesting 1st place will tee off around 1PM CT on Sunday.
UFC
For those interested in combat sports, UFC is on ESPN every Saturday for the next 7 weeks, excluding July 4th.
Last night, Cynthia Calvillo defeated #1 ranked Jessica “Evil” Eye in a Women’s Flyweight bout. Next week, Curtis Blaydes, who’s ranked #3 in the men’s heavyweight division, will fight #7 ranked Alexander Volkov.
Soccer
Not your first choice, I understand, but as the seasons wind down for different national soccer leagues you might find some entertainment in it. First, the Coppa Italia is taking place right now, as Ronaldo’s Juventus advanced to the Final on Friday. They’ll play Napoli, who drew Inter Milan in the second leg yesterday in order to qualify for the Final. Also, Serie A is set to return next Saturday, June 20th. The league has about 12 games left per team, and Juventus is in a tight race with SS Lazio for the top spot.
In Spain, the La Liga season has about 10 games left, and Barcelona is again competing with Real Madrid for the crown.
Plus, Sevilla FC is just eight points back of first place and could steal 3 points from FC Barcelona in their match on Friday, June 19th. Barcelona also played yesterday, defeating Mallorca 4-0 in their first match since March 7th.
The furthest along of European Soccer Leagues is Germany’s Bundesliga, as Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are fighting for to be number one with 3 games left.
Since both teams won yesterday, Dortmund remains seven points back of Bayern. While not impossible, that’s a tough hill for Dortmund to climb, especially with a matchup against #3 Leipzig on Saturday, June 20th.
Lastly, the English Premier League is set to return on Wednesday, June 17th, featuring Manchester City v.s. Arsenal at 3PM. That said, Liverpool has a 25-point lead over second-place Man City with just nine games left in the season, making many of these games seem recreational.
Still, as the wait for the NHL’s return seems never-ending, it’s worth checking out other sporting events in the meantime. Also, if you’ve forgotten about the Devils’ search for a head coach, check out this article outlining rumored candidates.