With COVID-19 still menacing normalcy for millions, we likely won’t see sports for another month. Even though NBA and potentially NHL facilities will open for training soon, we’re still far away from holding physical games.
And those contests will likely be fanless. The last thing sports leagues need after this outbreak compromised their seasons is a class-action lawsuit because a couple hundred people encountered an infected vendor.
Normal sports will be postponed for months at the very least, and maybe even years if we can’t generate a vaccination or if the virus becomes a seasonal ordeal.
There is no way this won’t change the way we enjoy our favorite teams.
Tickets will be a lot more pricey when stadiums have to screen off seats with dividers or spread them further apart.
And vendors will have to change the way we pick up our peanuts and Cracker Jacks. We might see a pickup system similar to the Little Caesars Pizza Portals.
Volunteers at games might have to pass health certifications to get behind the counter. Long gone will be the days of Mr. Smith running the register for the high school booster club.
And that’s just a handful of changes to in-person viewing. This will revolutionize the power of broadcasting sports.
With the NHL and NFL television contracts set to expire in the next few years, the leagues will go into negotiations with far more power.
That power will be generated by the thousands of fans who won’t trust large crowds like games generate. Why pay hundreds just to expose yourself to a virus when you can watch the Lions choke away a fourth-quarter lead in the comfort of your own home.
This will undoubtedly cause a bump in ratings for broadcasted sports, something you can bet your bottom dollar the leagues will love to cite against television networks.
Fox Sports Lawyer: “As you can see Mr. Goodell, the contract we are offering is quite
generous. We gave up all our soccer coverage to pay this.
Roger Goodell: “Add a couple of decimal places and we might consider you.”
Hopefully we can get back to slamming hot dogs and tailgating in the parking lot sooner rather than later, but in the post-corona world that might be too risky.
But that will be months away. I guess in the meantime I’ll keep watching Pavel Datsyuk’s highlight reel and cramming Cheez-Its.
Big Tex Goes to College 