N.Y. Gov. Andrew Cuomo: Pro teams can return to facilities

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said teams in his state can return to their facilities for training after a pause of more than two months because of the coronavirus pandemic.

"Starting today, all the New York professional sports leagues will be able to begin training camps,'' the Democratic governor said during a news conference Sunday.

The New York City area was one of the hardest-hit parts of the U.S., but COVID-19 deaths and new infections in the state have been trending downward.

Major League Baseball, the NBA and the NHL are discussing the resumption of their seasons with their players' unions.

"I believe that sports that can come back without having people in the stadium, without having people in the arena -- do it! Do it!'' Cuomo said. "Work out the economics, if you can. We want you up. We want people to be able to watch sports. To the extent people are still staying home, it gives people something to do. It's a return to normalcy. So we are working and encouraging all sports teams to start their training camps as soon as possible. And we'll work with them to make sure that can happen.''

The NBA's Brooklyn Nets said in a statement Sunday that they will open their training center for voluntary workouts on Tuesday.

"The organization will strictly follow the protocols outlined by the NBA and infectious disease experts to ensure that all precautions are taken in order to maintain a safe and healthy environment for players and staff," the team said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.