Original Article By: William Burns, Sports Editor
September 2020 Update By: Anthony Martinez, Sports Editor
September 2020 Update:
Six months ago, along with the rest of the world, the sports world, went into a panic. Every sport imaginable was shut down and the possibility of playing next year was also put into doubt. However, sports, one way or another, were able to find their way onto the fields and courts.
Locally, Pasco County officially opened Sept. 7where sports like volleyball and football were ready to open. There have been some issues, however, as they have been forced to cancel some games just days in.
Saint Leo University decided to push back fall sports until spring, but an official decision on winter sports has not been made yet.
Collegiate sports at the Division I level are a mixed bag, currently. Some conferences, like the BIG 10 or the PAC-12, have completely suspended their sports seasons. Many colleges are going through with sports; however, with some restrictions. With football, some teams are playing only teams within their own conference and have limited fans at the games. There is also uncertainty with college basketball and March Madness.
Professionally, several sports are handling returning differently. Major sports organization like the NBA or the NHL are holding their playoffs, from when the season was canceled, in a “bubble”—meaning they don’t travel. The bubble has been efficient in keeping the players safe, even some fans attend through Zoom to add atmosphere. Other organizations, like the MLB and NFL, are not in a bubble. They are traveling as usual with more precautions and, typically, do not have fans at the games. The only two NFL teams which currently have fans in their stadiums are the Kansas City Chiefs and the Jacksonville Jaguars; they only allow up to 20 percent of full capacity.
Original Article:
COVID-19 has wreaked world-wide havoc and has disrupted billions of lives. Schools are cancelled or have gone online, group events are cancelled, states and countries have been shut down, and people are urged to stay at home. This includes athletes, so many sports seasons are postponed or no longer in progress.
Local
Fl high school sports have been postponed in some school districts, according to News4Jax. The Florida State High School Athletic Association (FSHSAA) said the decision to cancel games and practices would be up to the school district, while advising them to follow CDC coronavirus guidelines. The loss of the season could jeopardize an athlete’s future career in the sport. This is the opportunity for athletes to hone their skills, get noticed by college scouts, and possibly continue their athletic career at the next level.
For Saint Leo University’s athletics, all spring sports and in-progress athletics are cancelled for the remainder of the season. This can also be detrimental to athletic careers. For some sports and senior athletes, this is their last chance to get noticed by pro scouts and to continue their athletic careers.
When athletics was first cancelled, there was national outrage from collegiate athletes. A few days later, the NCAA announced that they would award spring season athletes another year of eligibility to make up for this season. This is all the NCAA can do, but these athletes can never recreate their exact position when their seasons ended. Furthermore, some senior athletes cannot continue their athletic career once they graduate as they may enter the workforce in a few months. Balancing a full-time job, classes, and a collegiate sport simultaneously is near impossible. So, only athletes pursuing their master’s degree or those returning to school for a fifth year can take advantage of the NCAA’s opportunity.
National
The national level encompasses all national tournaments and professional sports leagues in the U.S. This includes the NCAA March Madness Tournament.
March Madness allows top tier college athletes to bump up their draft stock for the NBA. Some players need this tournament to be noticed as these big games test a player’s mettle and allow scouts to see who performs best with thousands of fans roaring at every moment.
This year, Atlanta was tabbed to host the final four games. Based on historical data, WalletHub projected $106 million of economic impact in the city alone based on the expected 113,000 fans that would have travelled to Atlanta. Even host cities for the first and second rounds of the tournament could expect to generate several million dollars for their city outside of what the NCAA would make. Additionally, in the betting world, an estimated $8.5 billion is wagered legally on March Madness, with at least another $3 billion wagered illegally.
Professional Sports
All professional sports seasons have been postponed indefinitely.
After Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert tested positive for the coronavirus, the NBA halted all games and suspended the season to keep players, staff, and fans safe.
The MLB cancelled the rest of Spring Training and postponed Opening Day of the regular season. Opening Day, scheduled for March 26, 2020, is pushed back at least two weeks. The MLB has yet to decide how the regular season schedule will be impacted.
The cancellation of Spring Training plays a big role on the regular season. Minor league players can prove themselves and major league players have to maintain their high performance level to keep their starting role. Without Spring Training and with a shortened regular season, the whole playoff and pennant races could be disrupted. With very few days off in a packed season, there is not much opportunity to reschedule weeks’ worth of games.
Major League Soccer suspended its season for a month while they evaluate how to move forward.
“Our clubs were united today in the decision to temporarily suspend our season—based on the advice and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Public Health Agency of Canada, and other public health authorities, and in the best interest of our fans, players, officials and employees,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said in a statement. “We’d like to thank our fans for their continued support during this challenging time.”
According to CNN, U.S. men’s and women’s soccer have also cancelled games through the end of April.
The National Hockey League suspended their season immediately. Due to teams sharing locker rooms and other common areas, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said it was no longer safe to hold games. This development came after Gobert tested positive for the virus. Bettman assured players and fans that they still plan to hold playoffs and award the Stanley Cup.
In the golfing world, the PGA Tour postponed the Masters Tournament and cancelled all proceeding events. This includes all events from the Players Championship to the Valero Texas Open, which occurs from March 30 to April 5, according to a PGA Tour statement.
“We have pledged from the start to be responsible, thoughtful and transparent with our decision process,” the Tour said. “We did everything possible to create a safe environment for our players in order to continue the event throughout the weekend, and we were endeavoring to give our fans a much-needed respite from the current climate.”
But the situation is rapidly changing, organizers wrote, and “the right thing to do for our players and our fans is to pause.”
Augusta National Golf Club announced Friday that the Masters, originally set to tee-off on April 9, would be postponed.
“Ultimately, the health and well-being of everyone associated with these events and the citizens of the Augusta community led us to this decision,” said Chairman Fred Ridley, as reported by CNN. “We hope this postponement puts us in the best position to safely host the Masters Tournament and our amateur events at some later date.”
NASCAR opted to hold races without fans in attendance. Only necessary personnel will be allowed in the pits. NASCAR will hold races at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway as scheduled.
The Boston Marathon is postponed until Sept. 14, Mayor Marty Walsh said. It was originally scheduled to take place on April 20.
“Our expectation and the hope right now is that this date will get us to a safer place in relation to the spread of the coronavirus,” Walsh said.
The Boston Athletic Association, which organizes the race, understood the decision to postpone.
The International Olympic Committee postponed the 2020 summer games for one year. It was the last major contest to do so, as the IOC tried to keep the late July start date.
All in the name of public safety, these sporting events, leagues, and associations have taken the necessary steps to keep participants healthy and safe from any unnecessary exposure to the virus.
