The latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:

NFL

Saints quarterback Drew Brees said he and his wife, Brittany, will donate $5 million to help Louisiana businesses and communities contend with challenges brought on by the rapid transmission of the coronavirus in the state.

Brees, who posted his pledge on a social media account on Thursday, said the money will help several restaurants in which he has an ownership stake as well as a major hospital chain and charities like Second Harvest Food Bank to deliver about 10,000 meals per day to people in need.

Brees said he hopes to fund the program “for as long as it takes to children on meal programs, seniors, and families in need,” adding, “Let’s all do our part, maintain hope, and get through this together.”

The quarterback and his wife run the Brees Dream foundation, which has spent tens of millions helping to fund charitable endeavors in New Orleans and surrounding areas along the Gulf Coast. Most of those efforts have focused on improving learning and recreational opportunities for children as well as health and wellness for children and seniors.

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Denver Broncos General Manager John Elway is donating $50,000 to the Colorado COVID Relief Fund.

Elway’s personal donation follows a $500,000 donation by the team.

The Broncos donated 100,000 meals to the Food Bank of the Rockies and jointly hosted a personal protective equipment drive at their stadium last weekend.

Elway said he wanted to support hospital workers, doctors and nurses who are the front line in the coronavirus pandemic. Elway mentioned his son-in-law, who is a doctor in Sacramento, California. “They truly are the warriors,” Elway said.

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The Green Bay Packers extended the closure of Lambeau Field through at least April 24 to help minimize the spread of the coronavirus after Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers issued a “safer at home” order through that date.

Packers officials said the closure would continue until that order expires or until a superseding order is issued.

This closure also applies to the Packers’ pro shop and the Packers Hall of Fame as well as any team-run public activities in Titletown, a complex of shops and restaurants near the stadium.

Packers officials said Lambeau Field and Titletown will have essential personnel in place for non-public operations of the facilities. Most of the other Packers personnel will continue to work remotely as duties permit.

The Packers had announced March 13 they were closing their businesses to the public for two weeks. The move continues those closures.

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Arizona Cardinals All-Pro linebacker Chandler Jones is donating 150,000 meals to food banks in Arizona and his hometown of Endicott, New York, to help families dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.

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The Arizona Cardinals are helping organize a blood drive on March 31 at State Farm Stadium because of a local shortage.

The team — which is partnering with Dignity Health and Cigna — said nearly 200 Arizona blood drives have been canceled since March 19 because of the coronavirus pandemic and that local supply has reached “critically low levels.”

Baseball

The San Diego Padres played “God Bless America” at empty Petco Park at 1:10 p.m. PT Thursday, which would have been the scheduled time for first pitch of their opening-day game against the Colorado Rockies.

The Padres also said they would partner with Phil’s BBQ, a local chain with a concession stand at Petco Park, to provide lunch for UCSD Healthcare and San Diego Blood Bank employees and volunteers.

Some Padres players have been using Petco Park for workouts since Monday. They are limited to small groups and must follow social distancing guidelines.

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The Chicago White Sox and Bulls teamed up to commit $200,000 to support the Chicago Community COVID-19 Response Fund.

The fund launched by the Chicago Community Trust along with the city and United Way supports nonprofit organizations and agencies providing services to the most vulnerable during the pandemic. That includes food and basic supplies and cash transfers as well as help with rent, mortgage and utilities.

NHL

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said he wouldn’t mind if the NHL went straight to the playoffs if the season is able to resume.

“You try to get in as many games as you can … but wouldn’t mind starting right at the playoffs,” Crosby said on a video conference with media members Thursday.

Crosby was joined by Philadelphia Flyers captain Claude Giroux, Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal, and New York Rangers defenseman Marc Staal.

Opinions vary on what’s next for the NHL, especially because there were 189 games left in the regular season and not all teams had played the same number.

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The Colorado Avalanche said one of their players has recovered after testing positive for the COVID-19 virus. The player was at home in isolation since the symptoms first appeared.

The team said anyone who had known close contact with the player has been notified.

Colleges

The NCAA will distribute $225 million to its Division I members in June.

That total is $375 million less than had been budgeted this year because the coronavirus outbreak forced the cancellation of the men’s basketball tournament.

The NCAA says $50 million of the payout will come from its reserve fund. A $270 million event cancellation insurance policy will be used to pay off a line credit that will cover the remaining distribution.

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Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said it is unlikely that there will be any more spring football practices, and that considerations will be made for what teams will be able to do after the coronavirus pandemic, whether that comes in May, June or even later.

Among the possibilities could be minicamps or maybe non-mandatory captains’ practices.

While way too early to project how things will play out into the scheduled start of football season, Bowlsby said: “It’s hard to imagine looking up into a grandstand and seeing people sitting six feet apart,” or having no fans at all there.

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Louisville said the father of junior wide receiver Corey Reed Jr. died Wednesday morning from coronavirus in an Atlanta hospital. Corey Reed Sr. was 43.

Reed caught eight passes for 145 yards in 13 games in 2017 and played in two contests the next season. He returned to Louisville this spring after transferring to Iowa Western Community College.

Horse Racing

Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano said he has tested positive for the coronavirus and will be in quarantine for two weeks.

Castellano tested positive as part of a physical that officials at Gulfstream Park mandated as a prerequisite before being cleared to ride in Saturday’s Florida Derby. Castellano said he has not had “known contact with anyone that has tested positive.”

Castellano last rode on March 15, when he had two mounts at Gulfstream. He returned to New York to see family afterward and was scheduled to ride at Gulfstream this weekend.

It’s not clear if Castellano could have ridden at Gulfstream this weekend even if the physical had not found that he has the coronavirus. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order earlier this week calling for anyone who flies to Florida from New York City or the surrounding areas to self-quarantine for 14 days.

Tennis

Rafael Nadal and Pau Gasol launched a campaign to encourage donations in the hope of raising $12.1 million to help Spain fight the coronavirus.

The tennis and basketball stars said in videos posted on social media that they are supporting a Red Cross fundraising effort to help with the public health crisis.

Nadal and Gasol said they made donations and urged others to follow their lead. Former Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas said he would pitch in.

Spain has 56,188 infections and more than 4,000 fatalities from the virus.