PA Gov. Tom Wolf Outlines Guidelines for Pro Sports Returning Without Fans

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf said professional sports teams can resume playing and practicing in the state in the "yellow" or "green" stages of reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"No fans or spectators may be permitted on interior or exterior venue property," Wolf said in a release.

Pennsylvania will require sports leagues to provide a safety plan that is approved by the state Health Department. The state defines professional sports as "any sporting event at which the participants are paid by a league or team, or at which individuals or teams receive prizes or purse."

This would seemingly eliminate college sports. The NCAA has said it will not resume games until students are allowed back on campuses.

Pennsylvania is the latest among several states that have opened their doors to a return for professional sports, though fans have not been permitted to attend events. Pennsylvania's green phase prohibits any gatherings of more than 250 people.

States have taken wildly variant stances on reopening, with some like Florida and Georgia shutting down only briefly while others are deep into the second month of a stay-at-home order.