Report: LA Mayor Eric Garcetti Tells Top Staffers That City Could Halt Sporting Events Until 2021

The coronavirus pandemic might prevent sports from being held in Los Angeles until 2021.

Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti told a group of high-level staffers this week that "large gatherings" including sporting events may not be approved until 2021, according to Dakota Smith and Ben Welsh of the Los Angeles Times.

While an internal Los Angeles Fire Department email obtained by the Times reportedly paraphrased the mayor's thoughts, a spokesperson for Garcetti told the Times, "The mayor was generally referencing studies of current and historical data and best practices for safely reopening our economy."

The decision to halt large gatherings until 2021 would serve as a hinderance to a number of Los Angeles sports teams, including the Rams and Chargers, both of whom were set to play their upcoming seasons in the newly built SoFi Stadium.

On Wednesday, ESPN reported that a member of the Chargers tested positive for the coronavirus. And in late March, a SoFi Stadium construction worker tested positive for COVID-19, according to Sports Illustrated ChargerReport's Jason Hirschhorn.

The Lakers and Clippers were both eyeing playoff runs before the NBA was suspended amid the global health crisis. Meanwhile, Kings star defenseman Drew Doughty said earlier this week that he's doubtful the NHL season will resume.

The MLS's two Los Angeles teams had just opened their seasons before the pandemic hit and the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA had the start of their 2020 campaign postponed.

Following President Donald Trump's April 4 conference call with a number of major sports commissioners—in which Trump said he thought the NFL would start on time—California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he did not think NFL teams nor fans would return to stadiums this fall.

"I'm not anticipating that happening in this state," Newsom said. "Our decision...will be determined by the facts, will be determined by the health experts, will be determined by our capacity to meet this moment, bend the curve and have the appropriate community surveillance and testing to confidently determine whether that's appropriate."

As of Wednesday afternoon, there are more than 1.9 million confirmed cases of the coronavirus worldwide, causing at least 127,000 deaths. There are more than 600,000 confirmed cases in the United States.