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It's been one year since COVID-19 shutdown sports: A timeline of the past year

It's now been one year since leagues across sports shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

CLEVELAND — While the past few weeks have been full of one-year milestones in the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Match 11, in particular, stands out. That's because it's now been one year since the first NBA player tested positive for the virus, setting off a domino effect that led to the entire sports world shutting down.

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The ensuing year saw leagues take creative measures to get back on the playing field, milestone events delayed and a total rearranging of the sports calendar. Suffice to say, the last year in sports has been one unlike any other and has created after-effects still being felt today.

With that in mind, let's take a look back at the last 365 days of sports through a timeline of the year that was.

March 11, 2020

A regular-season matchup between the Utah Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder is postponed midway through the game when it is revealed that Jazz center Rudy Gobert hads tested positive for the coronavirus. Shortly after the game, the NBA announces that it will be suspending its season "until further notice."

The NCAA announces that fans won't be permitted to attend the upcoming NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments.

March 12, 2020

The NHL follows suit in delaying its season. while Major League Baseball suspends Spring Training pushes back the start of its 2020 season for at least two weeks. Major League Soccer announces that it will be suspending its season for 30 days.

Vince McMahon's professional football league, the XFL, announces that it will end its inaugural season prematurely after playing five weeks of its 10-week schedule.

Meanwhile, college conferences across the country cancel their conference basketball tournaments, with some players being pulled off the court during warmups and at least one game being ended prematurely. Later in the day, the NCAA Tournaments are canceled.

March 13, 2020

The PGA cancels THE PLAYERS Championship and all tour events in the coming weeks. NASCAR also postpones eight regular-season races.

March 16, 2020

The NFL's "legal tampering" period begins, signifying the unofficial start of free agency.

March 20, 2020

Six-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady announces that he will sign a two-year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after spending the first 20 years of his career with the New England Patriots.

March 24, 2020

The 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, are postponed until 2021.

April 3, 2020

The WNBA delays the start of its season indefinitely but moves forward with plans to hold its draft virtually on April 17.

April 4-5, 2020

Originally slated to take place at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, WWE holds Wrestlemania 36 at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando in front of no fans.

April 9, 2020

The PGA announces that it has delayed The Masters tournament until November.

April 10, 2020

The XFL announces it will cease operations and fires all employees. The football league is later bought by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and his ex-wife and business partner, Danny Garcia, with plans to relaunch in 2022.

April 17, 2020

The New York Liberty select Oregon's Sabrina Ionescu with the No. 1 pick of the WNBA Draft.

April 19, 2020

ESPN premieres "The Last Dance," a 10-part documentary series chronicling the career of NBA legend Michael Jordan. The series had originally been slated to debut in June but is moved up due to the pandemic.

April 23, 2020

The 2020 NFL Draft takes place "virtually" with commissioner Roger Goodell announcing picks from his own home. The Cincinnati Bengals select LSU quarterback Joe Burrow with the No. 1 overall pick.

May 9, 2020

UFC holds UFC 249 in Jacksonville, Florida, without any fans in attendance. The event is considered the first major sporting event to resume following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

May 17, 2020

Kevin Harvick wins NASCAR's first race back at the Darlington Speedway.

June 4, 2020

The NBA and its players' association approve plans for a 22-team "restart" in Orlando in late-July. The neutral site, which also hosted the entirety of the NBA Playoffs, becomes known as the "NBA bubble."

June 11, 2020

The PGA returns to action following an 89-day hiatus with the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas. The event is won by Daniel Berger.

June 15, 2020

The WNBA announces plans to hold its own bubble league at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, beginning in late-July.

June 22, 2020

After failed rounds of negotiations with the players' association, the MLB owners elect to hold a 60-game season beginning in late-July.

June 27, 2020

The National Women's Soccer League kicks off the Challenge Cup tournament in Utah, marking the return of team sports in the United States. No positive COVID-19 cases occur during the eight-team, 23-game tournament, which is won by the Houston Dash.

July 8, 2020

Major League Soccer begins the "MLS is Back Tournament" at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Multiple players test positive for the coronavirus during the month-long tournament, which is won by the Portland Timbers.

July 23, 2020

Without any fans in attendance, the Washington Nationals face the New York Yankees in the first game of the 2020 MLB season. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and one of the faces of the United States' response to the coronavirus pandemic, throws out the ceremonial first pitch.

July 24, 2020

Games tip-off in the WNBA bubble.

July 30, 2020

Seeding games begin in the NBA bubble at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World.

August 1, 2020

The NHL reaches the play portion of its own 24-team restart, hosting games in two Canadian bubble cities: Edmonton and Toronto. The league hosts a simultaneous qualifying round and round-robin play ahead of the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

August 11, 2020

Big Ten university presidents vote to postpone their football season until the spring. The Pac-12 follows suit, while the SEC, Big 12 and SEC move forward with adjusted fall schedules.

Aug. 26, 2020

After an unarmed Black man named Jacob Blake was shot by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the Milwaukee Bucks protest their first-round matchup against the Orlando Magic. The other NBA teams in the bubble follow suit, as do teams in the WNBA, MLS and MLB.

With the remainder of the bubble in limbo, the NBA players ultimately opt to continue the playoffs following a multi-day pause.

Sept. 3, 2020

UAB beats Central Arkansas and South Alabama beats Southern Mississippi in the first FBS (I-A) college football games of the season.

Sept. 10, 2020

In front of a limited capacity of fans, the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs defeat the Houston Texans 34-20 in the first game of the 2020 NFL season.

Sept. 15, 2020

MLB and its players' association reach an agreement to hold its Division Series, League Championships and the World Series at neutral sites. The World Series will be held in Arlington, Texas, with a limited number of fans permitted to purchase tickets to attend.

Sept. 16, 2020

The Big Ten reverses course and votes to return with an eight-game schedule beginning in late-October

Sept. 24, 2020

The Pac 12 also opts to play in 2020, putting all Power Five conferences and ultimately, all Division I conferences, in action for the season.

Sept. 28, 2020

The Tampa Bay Lightning defeat the Dallas Stars to win the 2020 Stanley Cup. The NHL bubble concludes without any positive COVID-19 cases.

Oct. 6, 2020

The Seattle Storm completes a sweep of the Las Vegas Aces to win the WNBA title. After two initial positive tests during the quarantine period, the WNBA bubble ends without any additional COVID-19 cases.

Oct. 11, 2020

The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Miami Heat in six games to win the 2020 NBA Finals. The Lakers' championship marks the fourth of LeBron James' career. The NBA bubble concludes without any positive COVID-19 tests.

Oct. 27, 2020

The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Tampa Bay Rays in six games to win the 2020 World Series. The postgame celebration, however, is marred in controversy, when third baseman Justin Turner -- who was removed from the game due to a positive COVID-19 test -- celebrates on the field without a mask.

Nov. 13, 2020

The Miami Marlins hire Kim Ng, making her the first female general manager in North American sports history.

Dec. 12, 2020

The Columbus Crew defeats the Seattle Sounders to win the 2020 MLS Cup, with 20 percent of the league's players missing time during the season due to the coronavirus.

Dec. 22, 2020

The NBA kicks off its 2020-21 regular season with games played at home arenas, some of which are permitted to host a limited number of fans. Each team is scheduled to play 72 games with COVID-19 protocols in place.

Jan. 4, 2021

With its season underway, the NCAA announces that the entire 2021 NCAA men's basketball Tournament will be held in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Jan. 11, 2021

Alabama beats Ohio State 52-24 in the College Football Playoff Championship Game, completing a college football season in which several games were canceled or postponed due to players and coaches testing positive for the coronavirus.

Feb. 7, 2021

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Kansas City Chiefs 31-9 in Super Bowl 55. The game is played at Tampa's Raymond James Stadium in front of a limited number of fans. Despite several players missing games due to positive tests and multiple games being delayed, the NFL completes its season on time with all scheduled games played.

March 7, 2021

Despite some star players -- including LeBron James -- voicing their concerns about the event, the NBA hosts its annual All-Star Game in Atlanta. A number of vaccinated healthcare workers and limited guests of the players are permitted to watch in person. Philadelphia 76ers Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons are held out of the event due to COVID-19 contact tracing.

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