Whitmer Order Allows Professional Sports To Return In Michigan

MICHIGAN — Professional sports can return in Michigan, according to an executive order signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday.

Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-133, which sets guidelines for the safe return of professional sports, without a live audience. The order follows Major League Baseball’s announcement that a shortened 60-game season would begin on July 24 with players reporting for spring training at their home ballparks by July 1.

“We are now ready to gradually and safely allow professional sports to resume in Michigan," Whitmer said in a news release. "While this is an encouraging step in the reopening of our economy, it is critical for athletes to continue social distancing and taking precautions to stay safe. We want to keep our momentum going and keep moving forward, so it’s incumbent on everyone doing their part to slow the spread of COVID-19.”

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Under the order, professional sports training and competitions can resume as long as the activities are conducted pursuant to a coronavirus safety plan that is consistent with any guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, according to a news release.

Participants must also maintain six feet of distance from one another to the extent compatible with the sport.

The move comes just in time for the Major League Baseball and National Football League seasons, but otherwise comes at an interesting time. Michigan has seen a spike in recent coronavirus cases, with the number of daily cases increasing for five straight days. There have been more than 62,000 cases reported in Michigan as of Thursday.

The governor recently successfully appealed a judge's decision to ensure that gyms across the state remain closed.