COVID-19 Rules and Guidelines for<br />the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL: , Explained.<br />As the Delta variant continues to surge in<br />the United States, many organizations have<br />had to reinstate certain COVID-19 protocols. .<br />Here’s what we know so far about the current<br />COVID-19 rules and guidelines for each of America’s<br />four major professional sports leagues. .<br />1. NFL.<br />Players are not required to be fully vaccinated<br />against COVID-19, but the NFL will not be accommodating<br />to teams with unvaccinated players.<br />If an outbreak among unvaccinated players causes a<br />game to be canceled and it cannot be rescheduled, the<br />team with the outbreak will be credited with a loss.<br />That team will also be forced to cover the<br />financial losses suffered by both teams and be<br />subject to possible disciplinary action. .<br />As for spectators, mask mandates and<br />proof of vaccination requirements vary by team.<br />2. MLB.<br />The league initially had mask mandates in place<br />at the beginning of the year, but those protocols were<br />relaxed for fully-vaccinated players and fans in June. .<br />With the rise of Delta, MLB said it is<br />“constantly monitor[ing]” the spread and will<br />“adjust [its] protocol accordingly.”.<br />New rules are likely to be announced in the<br />coming weeks as the league’s season continues. .<br />3. NBA.<br />The league has not made an official announcement<br />regarding its COVID-19 policy for the 2021-’22 season,<br />which begins in mid-October. .<br />However, the NBA is likely to put some guidelines in<br />place, as the league’s relaxed protocol during July’s NBA<br />Finals led to an outbreak of nearly 500 COVID-19 cases. .<br />4. NHL.<br />On August 13, the NHL sent a memo to all teams saying<br />all players and personnel who work closely with athletes<br />are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19. .<br />It is not yet known whether fans will also be required to<br />provide proof of vaccination in order to attend events.<br />However, it’s likely that fans will have to comply<br />with local mandates that require masks for indoor<br />events, regardless of what the NHL decides
