Will 2020 be the Year Without Professional Sports?

Hey Sports Fans,

How are you holding up without your games and teams? It has been a long ten weeks since I first mentioned the potential for changes to the NCAA March Madness Tournament. Ten long weeks since the idea of life without sports seemed implausible.

As the Coronavirus restrictions are slowly being lifted across the country, we sports fans are still in the wait and see mode. NASCAR’s running of the Real Heroes 400 on May 17 along with plans for the Coca-Cola 600 on May 24 at Charlotte Motor Speedway seem like big steps in the right direction. However, this is still uncharted territory, and honestly, no one knows what the hell will happen next.

Vague hopes feel more annoying than fixed certainties, no matter how unpleasant the facts appear. All announcements are prefaced with hopes and maybes. This is going to be a long wait, and even after official announcements, actual circumstances and regulations may change at a moment’s notice.

Throughout this time, we see various attempts to cope. Many fans find solace in podcasts, participating in or betting on videogame tournaments or in watching rebroadcasts of old games. Those of us who write and report about sports have been digging deep to create interesting and relevant content to help fill the void. Many players from various sports have stayed active on social media which is a pleasant distraction.

It’s just my opinion, but sports played in empty venues is a better option than no games. Once seasons begin, the logistics of fans attending are problematic, to say the least. Can you honestly imagine what a restroom or concession line would look like if the recommended six feet of social distancing is enforced? What about the outcry from those who have little hurt feelings about being made to conform to a course of action that can save lives; who will hold their hands through the traumas and indignities inflicted upon them?

NASCAR’s racing without fans provides a glimmer of hope in this wasteland of life minus sports. What will happen in the near future, will professional sports and NCAA ever be the same, and can anyone answer these questions? At this point, your guess is as good as mine.