Commissioners from major U.S. sports leagues to participate in ESPN panel Monday night

The commissioners from the major U.S. sports leagues will participate in a moderated ESPN panel on Monday night to discuss the resumption of live sports amid the coronavirus pandemic, the network announced.

The panel, "SportsCenter Special: The Return of Sports," will feature the NFL's Roger Goodell, the NBA's Adam Silver, Rob Manfred of Major League Baseball, the NHL's Gary Bettman, the WNBA's Cathy Engelbert and Major League Soccer's Don Garber. The program will air from 9-11 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Also scheduled to appear are Los Angeles Angels manager Joe Maddon, Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, Baltimore Ravens defensive end Calais Campbell, the Chicago Blackhawks' Patrick Kane, Phoenix Mercury forward Brianna Turner and the Philadelphia Union's Alejandro Bedoya.

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NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will be on ESPN Monday night with other North American sports league leaders. (Photo: Kyle Terada, USA TODAY Sports)

"In this SportsCenter Special, fans will hear directly from commissioners, managers and athletes about the decisions they've made and the challenges they've faced throughout this unprecedented time, and what the resumption of sports will look like over the coming weeks and months," Stephanie Druley, ESPN executive vice president, event and studio production, said in a statement.

According to the network, the panel is expected to discuss safety concerns for players and employees, the financial impact of COVID-19 and how games will look when live sports do return — including changes in attendance and in how events are broadcast on television. The panel will also discuss social-justice reform in the wake of the death of George Floyd, ESPN said.

The NBA and MLS have announced plans to play games next month. The NFL has proceeded with plans to hold its 2020 season as scheduled in September. There has been little progress in MLB's plans to play this summer, with owners and players disagreeing on the terms needed to hold a condensed season. Owners are expected to hold a call Monday.

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