(ThyBlackMan.com) When COVID-19 cases throughout the country shut down major sports leagues like the NBA and the NHL and canceled NCAA Basketball Tournaments and the 2020 Summer Olympics in March of 2020, sports fans were reminded of how serious the coronavirus was. It is a life or death situation that is able to affect people of nearly every background. Because nearly every industry has been impacted by this pandemic, it has shown the importance of essential workers like healthcare workers, grocery workers, postal workers, and others. The entertainment industry, including movie, television, and spectator sports, have had to make dramatic changes to their schedules because Americans have been homebound for much of the last two months. It is possible sports fans may have greater options to watch sports beyond replays of old NBA, NFL, NHL, and Major League Baseball games since many states are loosening their stay-at-home orders.
ESPN has adjusted to Major League Baseball being delayed to start their 2020 season by broadcasting KBO games live. The KBO, or the Korea Baseball Organization, is the highest level of baseball in South Korea. South Korea limited the spread of the coronavirus early in their country through widespread testing and quarantining. The KBO began their season earlier this month without fans in attendance but they
are reportedly considering selling seats at around 20 percent capacity as most KBO ballparks hold in the range of 15,000 to 25,000 people. The league has also adjusted their precautionary measures against COVID-19 by having temperature checks of players twice a day and if you’re symptomatic then they get tested. Umpires and athletic trainers are also required to wear face masks and gloves. Two staples of baseball that are adjusted for safety include that high fives are discouraged and there is a ban on spitting.
It makes sense that Major League Baseball officials would consider adapting much of how the KBO has done to protect against COVID-19 during their professional sports season. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, “Major League Baseball’s ambitious return-to-play plans include processing upward of 10,000 COVID-19 tests per week, overhauling stadiums and in-game settings to encourage social distancing, and rigorous rules intended to prevent against the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a draft of the league’s health-and-safety manual”. Interestingly, the MLB safety document seems to be trying to affect the lives of the MLB players off the field as well and “expect the members of each team to ensure that they all act responsibly. The careless actions of a single member of the team places the entire team (and their families) at risk, and teams should agree on their own off-field code of conduct for themselves and their family members to minimize the risk to the team.” It discourages Major League Baseball players from going to crowded bars and restaurants should they participate during the season.
There are several big name NBA players who seem to want to finish their interrupted 2019-20 NBA season. NBA Players’ Association president Chris Paul believes that players want to resume this NBA season and there was even a conference call that included NBA All-Stars like Paul, LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, and Stephen Curry that addressed some of the problems the NBA would face when and if it returns. The fact that basketball is a sport where players and officials are in closer proximity compared to baseball creates different questions and situations.
The NFL has tried to maintain a belief that the COVID-19 pandemic will not dramatically alter their upcoming 2020 season through having their free agency and NFL Drafts during a similar time as they have in previous years. They also recently released the schedules for all of their NFL teams. Some NFL teams seem to be optimistic about holding a 2020 NFL season including the Miami Dolphins and Carolina Panthers. The Dolphins revealed a plan in place to host fans in their stadium during the 2020 season including having social distancing guidelines and spreading fans out in the stadium. Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper also thinks fans could be in stadiums and has said, “ If you’re comfortable being in a closed airplane for a cross-country trip, 18 inches apart, maybe with two seats in between you and being 5 feet away from each other, you might be comfortable in an open-air stadium.” At least the NFL doesn’t have to deal with the logistical nightmare that college football might have regarding social distancing with college football players, fans, and how to quarantine the same players who have to interact with the student body and professors. Live team sports in America remain a big question mark in the era of the coronavirus.
Staff Writer; Mark Hines
