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The USL announced the USL Championship and USL League One seasons will be delayed until at least May 10, extending the original 30-day season delay due to the coronavirus.
USL Championship Extends Temporary Suspension of 2020 Season pic.twitter.com/bsITTQzkS8
— USL Championship (@USLChampionship) March 18, 2020
This official announcement confirmed The Athletic’s Jeff Rueter’s report Wednesday morning.
The #USL will extend its suspension of play through May 10 to align with the CDC's latest guidance, sources tell @TheAthleticSCCR. This will affect both the Championship and League One.
— Jeff Rueter (@jeffrueter) March 18, 2020
The USL Academy national event previously slated for May is also cancelled, per sources.
What does this mean for Sacramento Republic? With 34 games left in the original regular-season schedule, now 10 league games and one U.S. Open Cup game (that competition is also delayed) are postponed.
- Last Saturday’s game at Las Vegas Lights
- This Saturday’s game at LA Galaxy II
- March 25 at home vs. Reno 1868
- March 29 at home vs. OKC Energy FC
- April 4 at Rio Grande Valley FC
- April 8 at home vs. Oakland Roots in U.S. Open Cup
- April 18 at home vs. New Mexico United
- April 25 at Austin Bold
- April 29 at Tacoma Defiance
- May 2 at home vs. San Diego Loyal
- May 10 at Portland Timbers 2
As Sac Republic play-by-play announcer Kevin McAllister notes, the prospects of playing a full slate seem to be receding, although it’s still unclear exactly when teams will be cleared to play again, and what the realistic options will be in that situation.
An April return meant likely to squeeze in all 34 matches w/ no US Open Cup. SRFC will be missing 10 matches if a May 10 return. Will have to be creative to squeeze all or even half of them in based on a normal rest schedule. #usl #sacrepublic https://t.co/Bdk1wBs6Ma
— Rob McAllister (@Rob_McAllister) March 18, 2020
Obviously the top priority at this point is to stop the spread of coronavirus and make a public health crisis something that can be responsibly combatted so we can get back to our normal lives as well as possible. It hurts that we’ll have to miss so many games, but this is an extraordinary time, and let’s do our part to sacrifice now so that hopefully we can get through it soon.
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