NEW YORK -- The average Major League Baseball salary dropped for an unprecedented third straight year, even before the shortened season caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Major League Baseball Players Association said Thursday the 2020 average would have been $3.89 million if a full season had been played. That was down 4.2% from the 2019 average of $4.05 million and represented a 5.2% decrease from the record average of just under $4.1 million in 2017. The average started to slip in 2018, falling by $1,436.

Because the pandemic caused players to receive roughly 37% of their pay last year, the actual average plunged to $1.59 million, its lowest since 1998.

"We have been consistent in our position that the current trends in our game need to be addressed regarding the lack of incentive to compete and the need for the system to better reflect the value created by players throughout the service time spectrum," union head Tony Clark said in an email to The Associated Press. "While there are other forces at play, and concerns that we have in addition to the above, we look forward to discussing each of the issues I just highlighted as a way to move our industry forward."

Before 2018 and 2019, the average had not dropped in consecutive years since the union started tracking it at $19,000 in 1967. Before the last three years, the only decreases had been in 1987, when clubs were found guilty by an arbitrator of collusion against free agents; in 1995, after the end of a 7½-month strike; and in 2004.

Last year's drop showed the widening imbalance between top stars and other players. The average fell despite Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg, Anthony Rendon and Christian Yelich all starting long-term contracts guaranteeing $215 million or more.

The union's annual survey included 1,087 players, up from 988 in 2019. Active rosters were scheduled to expand from 25 to 26 for the 2020 season and went up to 28 because of the pandemic, which likely is responsible for part of the decrease. More players were in the major leagues with salaries closer to the minimum, which rose to $563,500 from $555,000.

Without adjusting for the pandemic, the average of players with five to six years of major league service -- the group one year from free agency -- dropped from $7.57 million in 2019 to $6.51 million in 2020.

Among players eligible for salary arbitration, the 5-6-year group fell to $6.51 million from $7.57 million; the 4-5-year group rose to $4.49 million from $4.43 million; the 3-4-year group dropped to $2.8 million from $2.92 million; and the 2 years, 115 days to 3-year group dropped to $2.05 million from $2.15 million. Players needed 2 years, 115 days to be eligible for arbitration.

Among players not yet eligible for arbitration, the 2 years to 2 years, 114 days group fell to $673,000 from $935,000; the 1-2 year group rose to $787,000 from $653,000; and the 0-1 group rose to $640,000 from $617,000.

Major League Baseball's final 2020 report last month showed payrolls plunged to $1.75 billion during the pandemic-shortened season from $4.22 billion. That included a drop in base wages to $1.54 billion from $3.99 billion, excluding prorated shares of signing bonuses, earned bonuses and option buyouts.

MLB estimated that if full salaries had been paid and a complete schedule played with the usual average of call-ups from the minors, payrolls likely would have increased by 4% from 2019.

Players have been angered by club behavior in recent years, raising the chance of a work stoppage when the five-year collective bargaining agreement expires Dec. 1.

The current labor deal included steep luxury tax surtaxes, and only two teams, World Series champion Washington and Boston, exceeded the lowest tax threshold of $197 million in 2018, followed by the New York Yankees, Boston and the Chicago Cubs going over the $206 million threshold in 2019. Collection of the tax was suspended last year because of the pandemic.

Players lost a grievance last year claiming the Chicago Cubs improperly delayed star Kris Bryant's debut at the start of the 2015 season in an effort to delay the third baseman's eligibility for free agency. The union also filed a grievance in February 2018 against Miami, Oakland, Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay Rays that accused them of improperly spending revenue-sharing money, a case that is still pending.

The union has repeatedly said that teams cutting major league payroll in rebuilding, which players call tanking, is detrimental to the industry. Commissioner Rob Manfred said clubs have the right to retool and direct resources to farm systems and amateur spending to achieve long-term success.

Players and teams were unable to negotiate an agreement to start last year's pandemic-shortened season, although they did agree to a one-year expansion of the playoffs, and they were unable to agree this week on delaying the 2021 season, which remains set to start on schedule.

England head coach Eddie Jones says the weight of expectation may get "heavy" for Scotland in the latter stages of Saturday's Calcutta Cup match.

England are the defending Six Nations champions, while Scotland have not won at Twickenham since 1983.

"For Scotland it is the most important game of the year," Jones said.

"They talk about it all the time. But Scotland don't have a monopoly on pride.

"Our players get an opportunity to play in this historic game and they are going to be ready for it.

"You listen to the Scottish and how much it means to them - it's their biggest game of the year, their most important game, they are playing for trophies.

"That's a huge expectation for them and maybe, with 15 minutes to go in the game, the expectation is going to get pretty heavy for them."

England's 21-year-old centre Ollie Lawrence will start opposite Scotland debutant Cameron Redpath, who had previously been called into Jones' set-up but never earned a cap.

Five of Jones' starting XV belong to Championship side Saracens and only one, number eight Billy Vunipola, has played a match since England's Autumn Nations Cup win against France in early December.

It means captain Owen Farrell, full-back Elliot Daly, hooker Jamie George and lock Maro Itoje are short on game-time as they prepare for the return of the Six Nations.

"We had a good hit-out and the data from training yesterday was impressive," Jones told BBC Sport.

"We might be a bit short but it is what it is."

An Autumn Nations Cup gameplan which was short on offloads and heavy on kicks led to some complaints over England's style of play last year.

But Henry Slade - starting at outside centre on Saturday - offered fans hope of more exciting games to come, telling BBC Sport: "We've been trying to move on our attack for a while.

"There were a few games in the autumn with terrible weather and it wasn't conducive to playing running rugby.

"I think we've got some good changes of plans and ideas now with attack."

Line-ups

England: Daly; Watson, Slade, Lawrence, May; Farrell (capt), Youngs; Genge, George, Stuart, Itoje, Hill, Wilson, Curry, B Vunipola.

Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Obano, Williams, Lawes, Earl, Robson, Ford, Malins.

Scotland: Hogg (capt); Maitland, Harris, Redpath, Van der Merwe; Russell, Price; Sutherland, Turner, Z Fagerson, Cummings, J Gray, Ritchie, Watson, M Fagerson.

Replacements: Cherry, Kebble, WP Nel, R Gray, Graham, Steele, Van der Walt, Jones

GAFFNEY, S.C. – JD Motorsports with Gary Keller announced Thursday that ForeverLawn, a leading synthetic turf producer, will serve as Jeffrey Earnhardt’s primary sponsor for the majority of the upcoming NASCAR Xfinity Series season.

ForeverLawn’s first foray into the NASCAR world came last season as part of a three-race deal to sponsor Earnhardt and the No. 0 Chevrolet at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Kansas Speedway and Martinsville Speedway. This season, ForeverLawn has signed on to sponsor Earnhardt in more than half of the schedule.

“I am very proud to represent all of the great people at ForeverLawn this season,” Earnhardt said. “Their core leadership team shares the same values as my crew and I, and we were able to share a special bond over the three races we had together. With the start of the season just around the corner, I couldn’t be more excited to get down to Daytona and lay the foundation for what I think will be my best season yet. We are here to make a statement this year, and I think we can kick some serious grass.”

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Following an abbreviated six-race season under the Pinty’s Fan Cave Challenge banner, the NASCAR Pinty’s Series will run a full slate of events and once again crown a season-long champion this year.

The return to a full schedule features 12 races at eight tracks culminating with the championship race at Jukasa Motor Speedway on Saturday, Sept. 25. Jukasa has hosted the season finale every year since its return to the schedule in 2017.

“Our team has worked hard to put together a full schedule that will showcase the exciting, door-to-door racing Pinty’s Series fans have come to expect,” said Chad Seigler, NASCAR Vice President, International Business Development. “Out of an abundance of caution, we are focusing on stand-alone events, especially as we kick off the season. Though we are unsure of when we can welcome fans back to the race track, we will continue to work with local and provincial officials to put on as safe an event as possible. The health and safety of our competitors, officials and fans are our top priority.”

Other highlights include:

• The series’ long-awaited debut on dirt. Ohsweken Speedway will host its first Pinty’s Series race on Tuesday, Aug. 17 after being featured on the initial 2020 schedule.
• A Quebec swing in late August featuring three races at two tracks in two days. Circuit ICAR will host its first series race since 2017 on Saturday, Aug. 28 followed by twin events at Autodrome Chaudière on Sunday, Aug. 29.
• The Pinty’s Series will again serve as the opening act for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park with two races on Sunday, Sept. 5.

2021 NASCAR Pinty’s Series Schedule

May 23 – Sunset Speedway – Innisfil, Ontario
June 19 – Jukasa Motor Speedway – Hagersville, Ontario
July 18 – Flamboro Speedway – Millgrove, Ontario*
Aug. 15 – Circuit Trois-Rivières – Trois-Rivières, Quebec
Aug. 17 – Ohsweken Speedway – Ohsweken, Ontario
Aug. 28 – Circuit ICAR – Mirabel, Quebec
Aug. 29 – Autodrome Chaudière – Vallée-Jonction, Quebec*
Sept. 5 – Canadian Tire Motorsport Park – Bowmanville, Ontario
Sept. 25 – Jukasa Motor Speedway – Hagersville, Ontario

INDIANAPOLIS — The British poet Alfred Lord Tennyson told us that each spring “a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love.”

I’m more in tune with Alfred Lord DeSarro — the late NASCAR modified champion Fred DeSarro — which means that my fancy turns not-so-lightly to thoughts of roaring engines and another racing season.

In February, this means Daytona, and that word carries a very broad definition. It covers the Daytona Int’l Speedway, sure, but also New Smyrna Speedway, Volusia Speedway Park and several bars, restaurants and all-night breakfast joints. Whether I actually go or not — this year, I’m skipping Daytona — is immaterial. In my heart, I am there.

I find it almost unbelievable that my first Speedweeks came 41 years ago, in 1979. I drove down from Connecticut with a buddy of mine, Steve Kalkowski. I was 18, three years into a stint as a trade-paper columnist.

Steve, a couple of years older, crewed for a modified owner named Bob Judkins, whose driver, Ron Bouch­ard, would contest New Smyrna’s nine-night World Series. It wasn’t our style to plan things too far in advance, but there was enough time for me to secure the credentials I’d need, and for us to nail down lodging at a hotel on the World’s Most Famous Beach.

Our ride was Steve’s late-’70s AMC Matador coupe, a purchase influenced by his admiration for Bobby Allison, who’d driven one on the NASCAR Cup Series circuit.

We had no itinerary, nothing telling us where to stop for food or fuel. I’d like to claim that we were as carefree as Dean Moriarty and Sal Paradise in the novel “On the Road,” but at that stage of my life Jack Ingram meant more than Jack Kerouac.

Still, we were loose, flying by the seat of our pants. We steered the Matador onto I-95 and put the pedal down.

Cities came and went: New York, Baltimore, Washington, Richmond. Then everything got rural; the Carolinas and Georgia were mostly low bridges over lazy rivers, with brief bursts of civilization: Fayetteville, Florence, Savannah.

Finally, announced by palm trees, here was Florida. Two hours later, we were in Daytona Beach.

I don’t recall looking at a map and there was no dashboard GPS squawking directions. We were young, but we weren’t dumb. We’d wanted to drive to Daytona, so we drove to Daytona.

I hope kids still do that. If they don’t, Speedweeks dies.

The weather was nothing like a Connecticut boy imagined Florida would be. On our first night at New Smyrna, the temperature was in the low 40s; I believe it dipped to 29 overnight. The next morning, I bought a thick Winston jacket at Kmart.

I picked up my Daytona credentials and we drove through the only tunnel to the infield. Once inside, I glanced up at turn four, which resembled a massive black wall. I’m not sure anything in racing has ever surprised me like the Daytona banking did.

Even after all these years, so many memories remain crisp. There was no deep chasm between the Daytona stars and the guys who raced nightly at Volusia County or New Smyrna, so a typical hotel marquee might read, “Welcome Buddy Baker, Mike Eddy and Kenny Brightbill.”

Yes, in the days before million-dollar motorcoaches, Cup Series drivers stayed in hotels, lounged by hotel pools and even drank in hotel bars.

I watched with great curiosity the progress of three Daytona 500 rookies: Geoff Bodine, whom I knew; Gary Balough, whom I’d watched; and Dale Earnhardt, whom I’d read about. And though I’d spent half of my young life gobbling up info on Jim Hurtubise, I never saw the man until February of ’79, when he was saddled with some heap that failed to qualify for the Daytona 500.

At New Smyrna, Richie Evans won seven modified features. The other two went to Merv Treichler and Kalkowski’s man, Bouchard. Mike Miller was the late model champ, and for the first time I saw Dick Trickle, Joe Shear and Junior Hanley.

We gawked at Smokey Yunick’s shop. We drank beer at Mac’s Famous Bar. We laughed a lot.

Our idea for escaping the post-500 crush was to head out with 20 or 30 laps remaining. As it happened, half the folks parked in the infield had the same thought.

We were still mired in infield traffic, staring at that tunnel, when Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison crashed, when Cale and Bobby Allison duked it out and when Richard Petty celebrated.

For weeks afterward, friends who’d seen the race on TV — and assumed that I did, too — were asking, “Did you see the fight?”

I had the perfect non-lie: “Did I see it? Buddy, I was there.”

I still keep in touch with Steve, who eventually traded racing for civilian life. Today he’s married, has a couple of grown sons and flies around the world on behalf of a Fortune 500 insurance company. But he still chuckles like a schoolboy when conversation turns to our long-ago Florida adventure.

Somewhere, right now, a couple of young men are contemplating their first road trip to Daytona, or to the Indy 500, or maybe to the Knoxville Nationals.

My strong advice is this: Do it. Say yes to that urge. Fly by the seat of your pants. You’ll never forget it.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Brandonbilt Motorsports announced Thursday that Larry’s Lemonade will return to sponsor the No. 68 Chevrolet during for races during the NASCAR Xfinity Series season.

The Yorktown, Va., based brewing company will kick off its partnership with driver Brandon Brown and the No. 68 team when their new livery hits the track for the Xfinity Series season opener at the Daytona Int’l Speedway on Saturday, Feb. 13.

“I’m ecstatic to have Larry’s Lemonade back on board our No. 68 Chevrolet Camaro for the second year-in-a-row,” said Brown. “The competitiveness of our No. 68 program in 2020 was the best that it’s ever been and that’s all because of great partners like Larry’s Lemonade. The success that we’ve already had together is a great precursor for what’s to come.” Brown continued by saying, “I’m honored that everyone at Larry’s Lemonade believes in our team and I’m excited for the chance to be able to put them in Victory Lane this season.”

Last year Larry’s Lemonade and Brandonbilt Motorsports recorded two top-10 finishes and led multiple laps, as the team went on to secure their first Xfinity Series playoff berth and closed out the season 11th in the overall Xfinity Series championship points standings.

The Saudi International is hosting a handful of big-name players this week and none got off to a better start than world No. 8 Bryson DeChambeau.

DeChambeau shot 5-under 65 in the opening round at  Royal Greens Golf and Country Club. He's in a six-way tie for fourth place, four shots off the lead.

England's David Horsey leads the way after a 9-under 61. He's followed by Scotland's Stephen Gallacher (62) and Austrian Bernd Wiesberger (64).

Last week's winners, Patrick Reed and Paul Casey, both shot 1-under 69. Reed won the PGA Tour's Farmers Insurance Open while Casey won the European Tour's Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

Here's a look at where some of the other notable players stand after Round 1 (click for full scores):

T-17. Dustin Johnson (67)

T-17. Lee Westwood (67)

T-17. Tyrrell Hatton (67)

T-17. Martin Kaymer (67)

T-31. Phil Mickelson (68)

T-31. Tommy Fleetwood (68)

T-31. Tony Finau (68)

T-31. Justin Rose (68)

T-31. Viktor Hovland (68)

T-49. Patrick Reed (69)

T-49. Paul Casey (69)

T-72. Sergio Garcia (70)

T-72. Shane Lowry (70)

T-72. Graeme McDowell (70)

T-72. Jason Kokrak (70)

In nine years being involved with Century Club San Diego, the non-profit that runs the Farmers Insurance Open, Marty Gorsich had never experienced such a gesture.

After tying for 37^th Sunday at Torrey Pines, Justin Suh, who had received a sponsor exemption into the field, decided to donate half of his $34,125 check back to the tournament.

“I was completely caught off guard by it,” said Gorsich, who is in his second year as tournament director and CEO of Century Club. “The financial hardships this pandemic has created for non-profit host organizations like ours is something the players and their agents have started asking questions about, but this is an amazing gesture of support for the Century Club and everything we do for our community.”

Suh, who was an All-American at USC and currently is waiting for the PGA Tour Latinoamerica season to resume, told GolfChannel.com that he chose to give back after hearing how the COVID-19 pandemic had negatively affected the event and the community that it serves.

“I am so lucky to play golf for a living and am so fortunate to compete in unbelievable PGA Tour events like the Farmers Insurance Open, and when I learn about tournaments that are struggling, I really want to help as I was brought up to support people less fortunate than me,” Suh said. “While experiencing the firsthand impact COVID had on my family and friends, it was a no-brainer for me to give back half of my tournament earnings as there are a lot of people and groups that have suffered during this pandemic, and my personal experiences have taught me to always find a way to help our communities.”

Added Gorsich: “In my nine years with our organization I have never had, or heard of, a gesture like this from a tournament participant. Justin earned his invitation to our event for his competitive performance inside the ropes, but this clearly demonstrates what a first-class person he is outside the ropes, as well.”

Suh also improved his non-member FedExCup total to 143 in four starts. He is now about 145 points shy of earning special temporary membership on Tour, which would come with unlimited sponsor exemptions.

Ajax's record signing Sebastien Haller was mistakenly left off their Europa League list, the club have confirmed.

Clubs competing in the Europa League round of 32 submitted their final squads, which consist of up to 25 players, on Wednesday, but Haller was not included in Ajax's list.

- Eredivisie on ESPN+: Stream LIVE games and replays (U.S. only)

"It is indeed true that Haller is not on our Europa League list of players," an Ajax spokesperson told ESPN NL. "We are working with the KNVB and UEFA to find out where things went wrong."

It is not clear whether the error was caused by Ajax, the Dutch FA or UEFA but if the club are at fault, they will not be able to amend the situation.

Coach Erik ten Hag said: "[It is] nothing to laugh about. Very disappointing, also for the player. It's a mistake in the administration by someone. We will do everything to get him on the list. In the end [club director of football] Marc Overmars and I are responsible."

There were other discrepancies with the submitted lists as Siebe Schrijvers' name appeared twice in the section of players excluded from Belgian side Club Brugge on UEFA's website. He left to join Waasland-Beveren on loan in January.

Ajax were drawn against Lille in the Europa League round of 32 and will play the first leg in France on Feb. 18.

Haller joined Ajax from West Ham in January in a club-record €22.5 million deal and made his debut against PSV Eindhoven, where his introduction at half-time helped turn a 2-0 deficit into a 2-2 draw.

The 26-year-old has scored two goals in six games for his new club and would have been a certainty to make the list.

Meanwhile, Ajax announced exciting teenager Brian Brobbey will leave the club when his contract runs out at the end of the campaign.

"We think it is too bad [that he's leaving] and have done everything to keep him at Ajax longer," Overmars said. "He has chosen to play football elsewhere after the summer. It's difficult for me to accept, but it's his decision.

"Brian is still under contract with us for a few months, if we need him the trainers will call on him."

The Dutch giants also saw 16-year-old Julian Rijkhoff join Borussia Dortmund as the Bundesliga side announced the striker's signing on Wednesday.

Buffalo Sabres coach Ralph Krueger has tested positive for the coronavirus and is entering the league's COVID-19 protocol.

It's the latest setback for a team that has had its games postponed at least through Monday. The team has four players on the COVID-19 list, including star winger Taylor Hall.

Two other teams -- the Devils and Wild -- have also paused their season due to COVID-19 issues. New Jersey has a whopping 17 players on the COVID-19 list.

The last time the Sabres played was back-to-back games against the Devils on Jan. 30 and 31.

Krueger, 61, is in his second season behind the Sabres bench. Buffalo has posted a 4-4-2 mark and is currently sixth in the East Division.

Since the season began Jan. 13, 22 games have been postponed and around 90 players have appeared on the league's COVID-19 protocol-related absence list.

On Thursday, the league announced stricter arena protocols to battle the spread of the virus -- including removing the glass behind the benches to increase air flow.