Brad Cesmat
Soon, sports will be returning and so will the fans. In 2019, of the 100 most watched TV shows, 89 were sporting events. To think that this pandemic will be the death-blow to the world of fun and games is simply not true.
I’ve grown tired of hearing from those who don’t believe that sports is a necessity. I’m weary of those who think that sports as we know it will never be the same again. It’s simply not true. We all saw what happened here in Arizona in the Fall of 2001. The magic of sports in the weeks after the 9/11 attacks . I was in Yankee Stadium when President Bush threw out the first pitch before the Diamondbacks and Yankees World Series . There were no dry eyes in the house that night. Years later, the highlight of Gonzo’s blooper still sends chills up and down my spine. I’m sure your’s too.
it’s true that the sun came up without March Madness and the opening of the Major League Baseball season this year. Unlike our current divide in this country politically, where we delete lifelong friends simply over differing party views, I’m not going to block someone for not having a passion for sports. It’s not for everyone, but it is for many.
A temporary pause from sports, may be just what some needed in order to look in the mirror and see that their life was out of balance. I know more than a few of my friends in the industry who are now considering other things than just the games night in and night out. This is good.
I see on group chats discussions about how the high school football team is going to perform. College fans want to know if their season is going to start on time. The NFL will release the 2020 schedule later this week. Whether fans are allowed in stadiums is a different debate than will sports survive this pandemic. Truth is most(not all) sports leagues can do business just fine without having fans in the stands. As long as TV contracts are signed, then sports will be just fine. I worry about the college game more than pro or high school. Not having a Goodell, Silver, Bettman or Manfred overseeing the next steps is NOT good. NO matter how individual entities try to spin it. Look no further than the Pac-12 Network distribution disaster or the paying of players as just two of many, many issues facing that group without a true leader.
55-million people tuned in just to watch last weeks NFL Draft. The world of fun and games will be just fine. I do think it will look different(not just fans wearing masks) on the other side…
