April 7, 2020

When sport will come back?

The whole idea of sports as we have known it might not ever be the same following the coronavirus pandemic. Some experts say that if there are no sports for the rest of this year, "we lose ... the idea of sports as the same pillar of society that it has always been". The Wall Street Journal writes the "people with the power are the ones who packed the stands," so sports will "only be normal once the public decides it's socially and psychologically acceptable to be around thousands of strangers again". Warriors co-Owner Joe Lacob in an email said: "The overall biggest long-term problem for sports is the fear associated with public interaction. When does that go away? When will society decide that it is once again safe to interact in public? That is the big question for sports teams and leagues". In Boston, Tom Keegan writes expecting athletes to "lead the way back to normalcy this time is neither realistic nor fair to anyone either playing professional sports or watching them on TV." President Trump "expressed hope" during his conference call with league commissioners on Saturday, but it was "hope and nothing more".

L.A. Times wrote sports will have to "wait until the pandemic is beaten down," and that day "seems a long way off". Some people think that the "only surefire way to return to the norm of teams traveling all over the country to play in front of sold-out arenas is a vaccine".

The Globe&Mail's writes sports "as we knew them are over". The various pro leagues "continue to talk as though this season might be salvaged, but it won't". Next season is looking doubtful. There is an idea that there won't be a 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Because the people who know all say we are 18-months minimum from a COVID-19 vaccine. That means 18 months is also the minimum before large groups can gather in public again. It is increasingly looking like 2022 will be the "earliest moment for a resumption of all normal activities".

All of the above is only the opinion of individuals expressed on the www.sportsbusinessdaily.com and has the right to exist. No one knows how things will actually turn out, so we remain optimistic and believe in the best.

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