The NWSL will host a 'bubble' tournament in Utah, but some of the USWNT's biggest stars might not participate, Business Insider - Business Insider Singapore

• The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) has announced plans to salvage its 2020 season in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
• On Wednesday, the league announced a bubble-style, 25-game tournament – the 2020 Challenge Cup – featuring all nine teams.
• The first game kicks off on June 27, and the entire tournament will be played in Utah.
• The opening and title games will be broadcast on CBS, with the remaining 23 games airing on CBS All Access.
• It remains unclear whether the USWNT’s biggest stars will compete with their clubs due to the stadium’s playing surface, the quick turnaround between games, and the upcoming Olympic games.
• Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.

The National Women’s Soccer League is officially the first professional sports league in America to embrace the “bubble” method of returning to gameplay.

On Wednesday, the league announced its plans to salvage its 2020 season in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic with a 25-game tournament in Utah. The 2020 Challenge Cup – which will feature all nine NWSL teams – kicks off on June 27 without fans in attendance.

Though the full tournament schedule has yet to be released, the league detailed that the first four contests each club plays will help determine seeding for the remainder of the tournament. The top eight teams will then move on to compete in a single-elimination style competition. All games through the quarterfinals of the tournament will be played at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman, Utah, while the semifinals and final will be played at Rio Tinto Stadium – the home arena of the Utah Royals – in Sandy, Utah.

In a call with members of the media Wednesday afternoon, NWSL Commissioner Lisa Baird told reporters that it took the league more than two months to formulate plans for the tournament. She also acknowledged that having a smaller league – one with only nine teams – made returning to the pitch much more attainable than some other, larger leagues.

“As our country begins to safely reopen and adjust to our collective new reality, and with the enthusiastic support of our players, owners, as well as our new and current commercial partners, the NWSL is thrilled to bring professional soccer back to the United States,” Baird said in a statement released Wednesday. “This exciting month-long tournament will showcase our league’s talented players and provide our fans the type of world-class entertainment they’ve come to expect from the NWSL.”

The NWSL players association collaborated with the league and supported its decision to forge ahead with gameplay this summer. In addition to negotiating safety protocols, the union secured guaranteed contracts for players, year-long insurance, and childcare support before agreeing to move forward with the league.

“We are proud to move forward supporting this tournament and the NWSL,” NWSLPA directors Brooke Elby and Yael Averbuch said in a statement. “We will continue to work closely with the NWSL to ensure that player health and safety remains a paramount priority.”

As of Monday, NWSL clubs were permitted to recommence small group training at their respective facilities, and, according to a league statement, they may progress to full-team training five days later.

Though many players in the league will report to Utah to compete in this summer’s tournament, it remains unclear which of the US Women’s National Team players – all of whom play for clubs in the NWSL and boast the league’s greatest star power – will choose to participate in the 2020 Challenge Cup. Thanks to independent sponsorships and salaries paid by the US Soccer Federation, many of the USWNT stars will have the flexibility to avoid the unprecedented risks of playing in Utah.

In addition to the obvious fears of potential exposure to COVID-19, the national teamers are reportedly concerned about getting hurt a year removed from the now-postponed Tokyo Olympics. While gameplay itself increases the players’ probability of injury, the artificial field surface at Zions Bank Stadium and the quick turnaround between tournament games further compound that risk.

The league has worked to combat such concerns by planning for a controlled environment near the arenas and publishing extensive tournament protocols regarding training, COVID-19 testing, positive test results, and sanitation.

Still, some USWNT players have already opted out of the tournament, according to reporting from Yahoo Sports’ Caitlin Murray, and there are countless international stars in the league who may choose to stay home as well.

On Wednesday’s call, Baird said the league has worked with US Soccer and the USWNT players association in developing the tournament plans. Still, whether or not the 23 national team players will participate won’t necessarily be clear until June 21, when final rosters for the Challenge Cup are due.

Regardless of which players choose to suit up for the Challenge Cup, fans can follow along from home. The opening and title games of the tournament will be broadcast on CBS, with the remaining 23 games all airing on CBS All Access.

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