What is Going to Happen With Sports?

[aiken]

Young, fit professional athletes are at an insignificant risk for a severe outcome from COVID-19. Several have tested positive, to great fanfare, but I'm not aware of a single one that's had a difficult time with it. Older coaches and officials are a different story. Older fans with health issues would be putting themselves at risk.



Outdoor events like football/baseball seem to offer more opportunity to reopen with limited fans spaced apart. Not sure I'd want to be a spectator at a crowded basketball arena. I am a high school basketball official and doubt seriously I'll be returning for another season (if they have one) without a medical breakthrough.

 

[candrew]

Both of our grandsons resumed training yesterday with their soccer club. I have yet to learn the particulars.

Are they professionals? What age?

Ages 14 & 13.

 

[harllee]

Ages 14 & 13.

Wow. I am a sports fan but I can't see 13 and 14 year olds playing soccer or any other team sport right now.

 

[candrew]

Wow. I am a sports fan but I can't see 13 and 14 year olds playing soccer or any other team sport right now.

Both of our grandsons are Academy players with MLS's Real Salt Lake. The has club posted the following return to training guidelines. https://www.rsl-az.com/returntotraining

Individual Training Restrictions:

Limited to 30 or fewer players/coaches
Zero tolerance non-contact policy (coach/player or player/player)
No spectators allowed
Must maintain social distancing minimum of 10 feet between participants throughout the training
Practices will be conducted outdoors
Players with fevers or other symptoms are not permitted to practice
Players/coaches must use hand sanitizer before, during breaks, and after practice
Players are not allowed to carpool to and from practice
Players can wear PPEs (masks) when not actively training
No Congregating Policy for players or parents in parking lots, at drop off zones, at entrance/exit areas of facility, or before or after the training session

There are also requirements for coaches and trainers. I only excerpted the player training restrictions.

 

[Midpack]

Both of our grandsons are Academy players with MLS's Real Salt Lake. The has club posted the following return to training guidelines. https://www.rsl-az.com/returntotraining

Individual Training Restrictions:

Limited to 30 or fewer players/coaches
Zero tolerance non-contact policy (coach/player or player/player)
No spectators allowed
Must maintain social distancing minimum of 10 feet between participants throughout the training
Practices will be conducted outdoors
Players with fevers or other symptoms are not permitted to practice
Players/coaches must use hand sanitizer before, during breaks, and after practice
Players are not allowed to carpool to and from practice
Players can wear PPEs (masks) when not actively training
No Congregating Policy for players or parents in parking lots, at drop off zones, at entrance/exit areas of facility, or before or after the training session

There are also requirements for coaches and trainers. I only excerpted the player training restrictions.

I gather this is training only? At least it keeps them in shape, maintaining some skills. You can’t possibly play soccer without player to player contact.

And the irony is most athletes are very low risk for a serious reaction if infected with SARS-CoV-2 as Aiken noted above. It’s older folks and audiences at most risk.

 

[eytonxav]

Money will dictate the timing. I imagine at least 50% or more comes from TV rights, so that will provide help for a while and drive starting up once the safety protocols get ironed out and agreed to by leagues and player associations. The Rangers have a new stadium to pay for along with the City of Arlington, so I am sure they will be hurting badly, but not sure how much of the TV revenue goes towards paying for it vs ticket sales.

 

[candrew]

I gather this is training only? At least it keeps them in shape, maintaining some skills. You can’t possibly play soccer without player to player contact.

And the irony is most athletes are very low risk for a serious reaction if infected with SARS-CoV-2 as Aiken noted above. It’s older folks and audiences at most risk.

Yes, training only as outlined further in the link I provided. And as you pointed out, soccer is a contact sport.

I'd be more concerned about an otherwise health player unwittingly spreading the virus as an asymptomatic carrier.

 

[audreyh1]

I gather this is training only? At least it keeps them in shape, maintaining some skills. You can’t possibly play soccer without player to player contact.

And the irony is most athletes are very low risk for a serious reaction if infected with SARS-CoV-2 as Aiken noted above. It’s older folks and audiences at most risk.

But the players still pose a risk to their families. Thus the care taken. So I don't see any irony.

 

[candrew]

But the players still pose a risk to their families. Thus the care taken.

After reading through the protocols our grandsons' soccer club is taking, I'm feeling much better about their return to training. In addition, there will be opportunity for them to renew a bit of esprit de corps with their teammates that has been missing for some time.

The importance of the regular vigorous exercise that their training provides can't be overemphasized.

I read the results of a study done by some exercise physiologists that was published a decade or so ago (I'll have to try and dig it up). Their study indicated that the rate of "de-conditioning" among athletes occurred at 3X the rate of "conditioning" once regular training ceased.

 

[stedmakr]

Fans at games are an essential element of the entire spectator sports experience. Professional baseball will be one of the first sports to make a go of it in a Covid 19 environment. Televised baseball in an empty stadium will be sterile and boring. I doubt that it will be entertaining. With huge payrolls, I don't know how baseball doesn't bleed dollars this year.

College sports will have the same problem in the fall if there are not fans in the stadium. The games lose part of their color and in the end most schools will also bleed dollars. have to cut back

 

[Sojourner]

But the players still pose a risk to their families. Thus the care taken.

This is a crucial point. How do your resume, say, pro football or college football, even with extensive, frequent testing of all the players and coaches, without putting all the participants' families at risk?

Say they go ahead with the NFL season starting in September, and everything is going well for the first few weeks. Then, a player from Team A tests positive for COVID-19. Now every member of Team A has to go into a 14-day quarantine, including all coaches, assistants, trainers, etc. And all members of all those peoples' immediate families are presumed to have been exposed. PLUS, every member of every team that has played against Team A over the past 14 days. I just don't see how it's possible to have any semblance of a normal NFL season under these conditions. Maybe I'm missing something, though, so please feel free to weigh in if you think so.

 

[Breedlove]

This sports especially football has me really bummed The Ohio State Buckeyes have a National Championship team and my Browns might have a winning season. . I swear the football gods hate the Cleveland Browns.

 

[Midpack]

But the players still pose a risk to their families. Thus the care taken. So I don't see any irony.

We keep jumping back and forth between pros (the original subject) and amateurs.

If pros and college athletes are tested every day, they will know if they are infected, and be turned away from the team. Infection related to families is a separate issue, at least pros will know in real time.

As for amateurs who presumably won't be tested daily, it's true they could infect their families as a result of contact with a team member. However, it's pretty clear to me we need to treat our higher risk elder/underlying health vulnerable population differently than the other 95% (or whatever the large number is) of the population. Kids playing soccer aren't a significant danger to an overwhelming majority of the population. IMO we can't keep everyone locked down when a very large majority of us won't have serious health issues. We can't all avoid each other until there's a vaccine and/or therapies (neither is a given) when most of us aren't a high risk to one another. We need to take some responsibility for protecting ourselves, commensurate with the risks we face, not rely entirely on others to watch out for us.

 

[nap470]

I would assume that college football played a large part in the decision of Notre Dame announcing they will return students to campus in August. Even though I have yet to hear any announcement about the return of fall college football. Even if students and fans aren't allowed to attend the games, ND and other large D1 schools are big TV draws.

 

[Starsky]

With ticket prices already sky-high, adding a layer of fear and inconvenience to the spectator experience would create a lot of challenges. They'll have to start selling more cable TV/internet sports packages with more attractive terms.

It's one thing to take care of a professional sports team. It seems like something else entirely to ask collegiate players to restart sports ahead of academics, or to open campus just for the revenue sports. I find the greedy willingness of the NCAA to exploit the labor of these players, make millions of dollars and yet not provide any health insurance or other personal assistance - like food aid - to needy, impoverished players is disgusting. This pandemic only reinforces this belief times ten. Good luck keeping a bunch of 18-25 year-olds in an effective quarantine for the season. Universities will have to find a new way to show their pride - maybe something more related to their mission.

I hope college sports shuts down for a few years and Universities focus on their huge academic challenges - which are far larger and more urgently existential than the athletic ones. There's enough money in pro sports for the leagues to take good care of itself. With college sports on hold, they could use their farm leagues much more effectively as another source of revenue - the NBA could even hold their own March Madness with all their draft prospects.

If the NCAA really cared about developing their student athletes, they would at least liase with the local pro teams and work together to help keep these young prospects trained and in condition while all sports is on hiatus.

 

[Midpack]

With ticket prices already sky-high, adding a layer of fear and inconvenience to the spectator experience would create a lot of challenges. They'll have to start selling more cable TV/internet sports packages with more attractive terms.

It's one thing to take care of a professional sports team. It seems like something else entirely to ask collegiate players to restart sports ahead of academics, or to open campus just for the revenue sports. I find the greedy willingness of the NCAA to exploit the labor of these players, make millions of dollars and yet not provide any health insurance or other personal assistance - like food aid - to needy, impoverished players is disgusting. This pandemic only reinforces this belief times ten. Good luck keeping a bunch of 18-25 year-olds in an effective quarantine for the season. Universities will have to find a new way to show their pride - maybe something more related to their mission.

I hope college sports shuts down for a few years and Universities focus on their huge academic challenges - which are far larger and more urgently existential than the athletic ones. There's enough money in pro sports for the leagues to take good care of itself. With college sports on hold, they could use their farm leagues much more effectively as another source of revenue - the NBA could even hold their own March Madness with all their draft prospects.

If the NCAA really cared about developing their student athletes, they would at least liase with the local pro teams and work together to help keep these young prospects trained and in condition while all sports is on hiatus.

Many universities are heavily dependent on alumni, gate and media sports revenue to subsidize non-revenue sports and academics as well. If they lose those revenues, they will be less able to focus on academics - not more...

 

[candrew]

This sports especially football has me really bummed The Ohio State Buckeyes have a National Championship team

And as a University of Michigan football fan, a shutdown season means I don't suffer the humiliation of watching the Maize and Blue lose for a ninth straight time to that school down south.

I'll steal your thunder by also admitting that we are a pathetic 3-17 starting in Y2K. I'm not sure it's fair to call it a "rivalry game" anymore.

 

[Klubbie]

Many universities are heavily dependent on alumni, gate and media sports revenue to subsidize non-revenue sports and academics as well. If they lose those revenues, they will be less able to focus on academics - not more...

Yep. There are already smaller schools concerned about losing their 1 million dollar plus paydays from the Power 5 schools. I believe it was Oregons AD or President who came out recently and said they still want to play Ohio State this year. I am sure the money has something to do with it.

Love it or hate sports is big business and that will ultimately drive a lot of the decision making.

 

[RunningBum]

Many universities are heavily dependent on alumni, gate and media sports revenue to subsidize non-revenue sports and academics as well. If they lose those revenues, they will be less able to focus on academics - not more...

Fully agree with the subsidizing low and non-revenue sports. Not to sure about academics. My understanding is that for the most part revenue from athletics stay in the athletic dept, but I could be wrong. Even if some makes it to academics, it's probably not a significant amount compared to other financial issues due to COVID-19. Maybe some of those rich alumni who donate to sports programs will steer at least some of it to academics.

I love college sports, especially football, basketball and volleyball, but it's gotten out of control, especially the multi-million dollar coaching salaries, and even assistants at big name schools making high 6 figures, and the plush facilities. Maybe an overhaul of the system is not so bad.

 

[KCGeezer]

I was flipping around on the tube the other night and saw they were broadcasting a Johnsonville Cornhole match. I actually had to watch for a few minutes. Two guys in masks flinging beanbags.

I’m really hoping the Chiefs get to play this year.

 

[harllee]

I was flipping around on the tube the other night and saw they were broadcasting a Johnsonville Cornhole match. I actually had to watch for a few minutes. Two guys in masks flinging beanbags.

I’m really hoping the Chiefs get to play this year.

Man, you know things are really bad when a sports fan watches a Cornhole match played by 2 guys in facemasks. The apocalypse is upon us.

Personally I am really sad that Michael Jordans' Last Dance ESPN documentary is over. I thought it was great.

 

[Poopycat]

I think the NBA and NHL are done for the year, and there won’t be championships this season.

I do think MLB will return at some point but will play in either empty stadiums or partially full stadiums to allow social distancing.

College football and NFL? Hmmm. Not sure. I think there will be huge pressure to play, but packing 50K-100K into a stadium isn’t a good look, and a lot of fans won’t want to do that. Not even season ticket holders. I think they will play but either in empty stadiums or partially full stadiums.

I enjoy tennis and am curious about whether the US Open and French Open will happen. Again, lots of pressure to play the US Open, but I think it will either be canceled or be played in empty stadiums. I have tickets to the Western and Southern tournament in Cincinnati for mid August. It hasn’t been canceled yet but I think it will be. I hope so because as much as I’d like to see live tennis, I doubt that my friends would be willing to come up for the event. And I don’t want to sit too close to strangers either. I’d either like a refund or to have my seats reserved for 2021 instead. I think the organizers have to decide by June 1.

 

[Poopycat]

The sad thing about sports possibly being canceled is potentially missing out on the last hurrah for several famous athletes. Roger Federer isn’t getting any younger. I also think Serena’s chances of winning another Grand Slam event are at risk now. Tom Brady is already 42; if football doesn’t happen this year, how good can a 43 year-old who hasn’t played in a year (and is playing with a new team) be? Similar story for Drew Brees. I’m not a LeBron fan so I’m hoping we are done with the NBA this season, but his window to win a championship gets smaller and smaller with each passing day.

I don’t feel sorry for these athletes; they have had great careers. All are Hall of Famers in their sport. But I hate to think that we may not see them play, or that their playtime is diminished by the virus.

 

[statsman]

I think the NBA and NHL are done for the year, and there won’t be championships this season.

It looks like the NBA will attempt to complete the 2019-20 season this summer without fans in attendance. But rather than play the remainder of the full 82 game schedule, it sounds like they will shoot for 70 games. There is a clause in the NBA's TV contract that requires them to reach a minimum number of games played, otherwise the revenue from that contract is substantially lowered.

The NBA is already going to have revenue issues impacting 2020-21 and beyond. Honestly, they could just play those games to get to 70 and not have a postseason, as far as I am concerned. But as mentioned earlier, I'm sure the NBA will bend over backwards to somehow not waste a year of LeBron's career without even a shot at an NBA title for 2019-20.

 

[GTFan]

Bigtime CFB will be back in the south, guaranteed. Way too much money and interest to not get it going again, fans or no. Lots of schools can't even run athletic programs without football money. I can see star players (like QBs) playing even with COVID assuming they can get out of bed and the schools can hide it, that's how much pressure there is to win down here.

The real problem with CFB is the FCS and smaller schools that don't get a lot of TV money, because they have to have fans. Saw an article in the AJC this morning that said the HBCUs in particular can't play without them.

Same issue for minor league anything (e.g. baseball), a non-starter without fans.