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Borussia Moenchengladbach's players and coaching staff became the first in Germany to accept pay cuts during the coronavirus crisis to support the club as revenues dry up due to halted matches, sports director Max Eberl said on Thursday. 

The Bundesliga suspension is due to last until at least April 2 though few believe it will resume soon after that date. All continental competitions have also been suspended with the virus's current epicenter in Europe. Germany has recorded about 11,000 cases with 20 deaths. 

The cancellation of major sporting events and the decimation of the luxury, entertainment and travel industries is delivering a hammer blow to a global advertising industry that was already reeling from years of tech-led turmoil.

Great news for people who love football and are bored senseless: Sega has announced Football Manager 2020 is now free to play on Steam until March 25 on PC/Mac. That gives you one week to take Gateshead from National League North to the Premier League and European glory.

And if you find yourself hooked come March 25, you’ll be able to continue with your saved file after purchasing the game. 

Football is facing its first economic crisis for decades with the prospect of mass layoffs of players if nothing is done to bail out clubs left without matches by the coronavirus pandemic, the global players' union FIFPRO said on Tuesday.

Professional football has been wiped off the map for weeks, maybe months, after all the major leagues, cups and international competitions were suspended, culminating in the postponement of Euro 2020 and Copa America on Tuesday.

The U.S. Soccer Federation, defending itself against a gender-discrimination case filed by members of the U.S. women's national team, argued that playing for the men's national team is tougher than playing for the USWNT, a continuation of a shocking theme of arguments from the Federation.

Members of the U.S. women's national soccer team voiced frustration on Sunday in the ongoing back-and-forth with their federation over pay equality, as a May 5 trial date in their well-publicized lawsuit against U.S. Soccer inched closer. 

At issue was a letter to membership released on Saturday in which U.S. Soccer President Carlos Cordeiro said the federation "offered to provide identical compensation to our women's and men's players for all matches controlled by U.S. Soccer." 

Juventus president Andrea Agnelli has questioned whether their smaller rivals Atalanta should have a right to play in the Champions League, saying they lack international history. His comments drew a blunt response from the mayor of Atalanta's home town Bergamo who said the team had earned their place with "sweat and imagination." 

The 25th season of MLS began with a bang as both TV ratings and stadium attendance spiked for opening weekend. The highlight was all things Nashville, which saw a league-best attendance of 59,069 for the team’s inaugural game at Nissan Stadium.

As Major League Soccer launched a milestone 25th season on Saturday, the mood was not one of reflection and cautious optimism but bold even outrageous predictions of a future empire. 

Not content to eventually become one of the most successful leagues in North America, MLS has set its sights on supplanting the UK's Premier League and Spain's LaLiga as the world's top soccer product by the time it celebrates its 50th anniversary. 

Daytona International Speedway wants to get a little more international. The NASCAR racetrack announced plans to host a soccer festival with professional clubs from North and South America on July 3-4 in 2021. The two-day Daytona Soccer Fest will mark the first time a NASCAR racetrack hosts a pro soccer match.