Sports To Take a Nosedive

Here’s some bad news for sports fans.  It is my opinion that the only sports which will continue through the coronavirus pandemic, even without spectators on site, are those where the players are sequestered in housing away from their families (except perhaps for occasional conjugal visits like some prisons allow) with their games played in limited locations for the duration of the season. This is the way the National Basketball Association (all games at Disneyworld) and the National Hockey League (all games in Canada) are doing it and it seems to be working.

There is no way professional baseball can continue its season which will soon be aborted as teams attempt to travel among thirty locations and players, although encouraged to stay in their hotels for “away” games, are more or less out in public when they are not playing, especially when their team is “at home,” without spreading the virus throughout their rosters.  I give baseball about two weeks more before they throw in the towel.

Professional football, with all of its personal, close contact, faces the same problems.  Once their season starts, the virus will spread throughout the league.  I give the NFL about a month of playing before they throw in their towel.

As for high school and college sports, there is no way that team members can avoid being infected with the virus and spreading it without their removal from their schools’ populations. Last time I looked, athletic competition was not the main purpose of high schools and colleges.  Sorry, but there will be no high school nor college football, nor basketball for that matter, this year.  This may be hard for those in some Southern States to swallow but that’s the way it’s going to be.   

Liverpool in Action in Premier
 League Football in UK

As for TV watchers, there still will be team sports from countries which, unlike the United States (where the Federal government and the President have dropped the ball), have been able to control the spread of the Coronavirus.  The British Premier Football League (soccer) is fun to watch, as are the other major European leagues.  And there will be golf, tennis and racing, both of the equine and automotive varieties, to watch as well.  Enjoy.

But there may be a solution!  If all major league baseball games (or NFL games) were played in one stadium for each division, and all teams in that division were securely isolated for the length of the season in hotels or dormitories, with no outside contact, including families, in that city, there might be a shot at having Major League Baseball and the NFL activities resume.  Teams would only play teams in their own divisions, but that's better than nothing.  No traveling!  

As for high schools and colleges though, forget about it.   Better they should concentrate on schoolwork.
JL