Are pro sports going to come back?

[LannyPC]

Just my opinion, but I think there would be a huge number of people who would go to a pro sporting event without any concern at all.

Then there are the fans who are concerned and won't want to be in a big crowd amidst this pandemic. The leagues are going to lose those fans for a while. And as has been discussed in a previous thread about attendance at sporting events, there has been a decline in recent years.

https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/whats-the-matter-with-baseball.294721/

 

[Big Matt]

Then there are the fans who are concerned and won't want to be in a big crowd amidst this pandemic. The leagues are going to lose those fans for a while. And as has been discussed in a previous thread about attendance at sporting events, there has been a decline in recent years.

https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/whats-the-matter-with-baseball.294721/

I agree with you completely. So they lose either way (financially and fan loyalty/trust). I worry that Minor League Baseball franchises may go away completely. Remember that the owners wanted to cut the number of minor league teams (payroll). We may see this swing too far. The minors are owned by individual and groups of investors. No real TV money, so you get all of your revenue from the gate. The same thing is going to happen to music venues. Hopefully we will be able to forget this pandemic ever happened in a few years, but I tend to doubt it.

 

[am1]

It was just announced that, if/when the NHL returns to play, Las Vegas will be a "hub city".:

https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/vegas-nhl-hub-city-announcement-expected-june-22/?shawct=1

That actually goes against some of the speculation that was going around about a month ago. It was suggested that Canadian cities would be considered because of the lower expenses due to the sagging Canadian dollar.

Hockey in the summer in the desert. How many ice pads does Las Vegas have? They have the hotels to do it. But what about the distractions and the coming and going of people from all over just like Orlando.

 

[bbodb1]

Hockey in the summer in the desert. How many ice pads does Las Vegas have? They have the hotels to do it. But what about the distractions and the coming and going of people from all over just like Orlando.

Suitable ice won't be the problem as the NHL has a good amount of experience in creating and maintaining ice in warm weather cities (as long as the power grid holds out!) and I suspect a good number of casinos have an area large enough to convert to a rink. It appears the hub cities to be used will be announced om June 22 and Las Vegas is one of the cities under consideration.

NHL Reportedly Expected to Announce 2 Hub Cities for Restart on June 22

The NHL is reportedly expected to announce its selections for the two hub cities to host the remainder of the 2019-20 season amid the coronavirus pandemic on June 22...

bleacherreport.com

And from the NHL:

NHL plans to return with 24 teams competing for Stanley Cup | NHL.com

Best-of-5 series, round-robin games begin in two hub cities

www.nhl.com

 

[geekette]

Then there are the fans who are concerned and won't want to be in a big crowd amidst this pandemic. The leagues are going to lose those fans for a while. And as has been discussed in a previous thread about attendance at sporting events, there has been a decline in recent years.

We have only minor league here, but for other sports, ticket prices left me behind. Often a parking fee, or a hefty hoofing. It's tv sports for me.

 

[geekette]

Suitable ice won't be the problem as the NHL has a good amount of experience in creating and maintaining ice in warm weather cities (as long as the power grid holds out!) and I suspect a good number of casinos have an area large enough to convert to a rink. It appears the hub cities to be used will be announced om June 22 and Las Vegas is one of the cities under consideration.

Any good convention city has the teams that can go from rodeo to hockey to basketball very quickly. Event planning has a serious thread of Logistics in it. When you're looking to wring every nickel from a venue, it can be done very quickly. My brother was sometimes on the labor side of it.

 

[geekette]

They are public figures. No problem protesting in crowds but then do not comeback to work at put people making a lot less money in harms way.

So, anybody that protested should not return to work? Or, are you saying that athletes have one set of rules, and everyone else has another? Or that people that make a lot of money shouldn't protest? Please list all the athletes that protested, without mask, without social distancing, and then went to work. Probably you should find all those people that you think are working closely with them now and alert them.

 

[am1]

So, anybody that protested should not return to work? Or, are you saying that athletes have one set of rules, and everyone else has another? Or that people that make a lot of money shouldn't protest? Please list all the athletes that protested, without mask, without social distancing, and then went to work. Probably you should find all those people that you think are working closely with them now and alert them.

If the athletes are not going to take precautions then the idea will not work. If other workers are suppose to be in a bubble then I would expect they take social distancing seriously. You think the pro leagues are going to be happy/accept the bus driver, servers or cleaning staff to not social distance while in the pro sports bubble? Colleges are testing and people are coming back positive. I believe it was UH who cancelled on campus activities as 6 came back positive.

I have no problem people peacefully protesting while following local laws of curfew and socially distancing. Once the rioting and looting starts anyone still there should expect they may be caught up in the police doing their jobs of trying to keep the peace. Best advice is to get out of there.

 

[geekette]

...I have no problem people peacefully protesting while following local laws of curfew and socially distancing. Once the rioting and looting starts anyone still there should expect they may be caught up in the police doing their jobs of trying to keep the peace. Best advice is to get out of there.

Which has what to do with athletes? Or other highly paid persons?

 

[am1]

For the people who do not know how to use google but need to see the information to believe it:

Clemson football players lead march on campus

RB Darien Rencher, LB Mike Jones Jr., WR Cornell Powell and QB Trevor Lawrence led a march on campus on Saturday in support of equality.

www.espn.com

Clemson says 3 players tested positive for virus

Three Clemson student-athletes -- two football players and a men's basketball player -- have tested positive for the coronavirus, the school reported Friday.

www.espn.com

I would not bet on pro sports happening this year.

 

[bluehende]

For the people who do not know how to use google but need to see the information to believe it:

Clemson football players lead march on campus

RB Darien Rencher, LB Mike Jones Jr., WR Cornell Powell and QB Trevor Lawrence led a march on campus on Saturday in support of equality.

www.espn.com

Clemson says 3 players tested positive for virus

Three Clemson student-athletes -- two football players and a men's basketball player -- have tested positive for the coronavirus, the school reported Friday.

www.espn.com

I would not bet on pro sports happening this year.

Clemson athletes have less than 2% positive test rate. In the last few days the positive test rate in SC is close to 13.5%. Looks like they are doing a good job. I wonder why you have so much animosity to athletes exercising their legal rights while you made no comment on others demonstrating a while ago that were at that time not following their stay at home order. Neither of these were safe, but constantly singling out one and not the other along with scheduled political rallies seems very selective.

 

[am1]

There is a difference between being apart of a team/league and others doing their own thing. And I did comment on others being out past curfew and not social distancing but not the point here.

Even a 2% positive rate is 2% too high to travel/play games. They still have time before the season starts to get to 0% but its not easy. WWE just shut down their television taping because of 1 positive test last week.

I guess when I was part of a team in University and to some extent after a "pro" just barely I was focused on the task at hand. Rain, snow, heat wave did not matter. They should decide what their focus is do that. But be upfront about it.

I do like what MJ said in The Last Dance. He was 100% focused on playing basketball and selling shoes.

 

[Old Hickory]

I would not bet on pro sports happening this year.

The pro tour (golf) has already started back. NASCAR is another. Supercross has been running for a few weeks.

 

[am1]

The pro tour (golf) has already started back. NASCAR is another. Supercross has been running for a few weeks.

A lot more individual.

 

[pedro47]

I hope all the professionals sports , college sports , high schools sports and little leagues activities should return ASAP. Why, Because there will be over a billions dollars loss to the American economy this year along. If, these sports activities does not start very soon. Plus, our youth of America needs these sports to build character, team work Skills and social skills for the future of America . There are probably over a half millions students from college, high schools, middle schools, elementary schools, and pre schools that plays some type of organize sports in the United States. IMHO.

 

[am1]

I hope all the professionals sports , college sports , high schools sports and little leagues activities should return ASAP. Why, Because there will be over a billions dollars loss to the American economy this year along. If, these sports activities does not start very soon. Plus, our youth of America needs these sports to build character, team work Skills and social skills for the future of America . There are probably over a half millions students from college, high schools, middle schools, elementary schools, and pre schools that plays some type of organize sports in the United States. IMHO.

My guess is much much higher numbers. $ and students.

 

[Snazzylass]

Pro sports will survive but I see a change in the Business Model to compensate for diminished gate receipts, parking, concessions and the like. Over time Salary Caps will make it easier for all but baseball to adjust. The big problem will be with College Sports Programs in the Major Conferences which are supported by Football and Basketball Revenue...

George

Hmmm...big $$ is in the TV contracts. Big Ten Network? reason for add'l teams in reason years.

 

[pedro47]

Hmmm...big $$ is in the TV contracts. Big Ten Network? reason for add'l teams in reason years.

Also, how will television and cable fill all the time allotted for all the professional and college sports ???

Finally, how much will television, cable, professional and college sport's lose in commercials MONEY???. Big, Big Dollars. IMHO.

 

[Big Matt]

I really enjoyed watching the golf last weekend. The problem is that the venues won't keep doing this with no fans. Very expensive to put on an event like that, meet commitments to their featured charity, and pay out the purse. IF the pandemic continues for a year or more, sports as we know it will be bad investments for the owners/sponsors.

 

[LannyPC]

IF the pandemic continues for a year or more, sports as we know it will be bad investments for the owners/sponsors.

Then of course there's the "collateral damage" of workers at the venues and nearby establishments who are currently out of jobs and/or will be in the foreseeable future.

 

[bbodb1]

I really enjoyed watching the golf last weekend. The problem is that the venues won't keep doing this with no fans. Very expensive to put on an event like that, meet commitments to their featured charity, and pay out the purse. IF the pandemic continues for a year or more, sports as we know it will be bad investments for the owners/sponsors.

As did I but CBS needs to remember the action on the course is why we tune in, not all the fluff pieces and the saturation of commercials. Show me the golf!

As an aside, I've often wondered why golf does not make use of an approach similar to soccer and use a small dedicated portion of the screen to show the sponsor. Few commercials, but more (longer) sponsor visibility...

On a side note, the action at Colonial was nice from the standpoint it seemed to move along at a better pace but the proximity of green to next tee was probably the most significant factor in helping that along.

 

[am1]

It was just announced that, if/when the NHL returns to play, Las Vegas will be a "hub city".:

https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/vegas-nhl-hub-city-announcement-expected-june-22/?shawct=1

That actually goes against some of the speculation that was going around about a month ago. It was suggested that Canadian cities would be considered because of the lower expenses due to the sagging Canadian dollar.

Looks like Toronto is one. I would prefer Vancouver or Edmonton for the other. Too many cases in the US, Nevada included.

 

[Big Matt]

As did I but CBS needs to remember the action on the course is why we tune in, not all the fluff pieces and the saturation of commercials. Show me the golf!

As an aside, I've often wondered why golf does not make use of an approach similar to soccer and use a small dedicated portion of the screen to show the sponsor. Few commercials, but more (longer) sponsor visibility...

On a side note, the action at Colonial was nice from the standpoint it seemed to move along at a better pace but the proximity of green to next tee was probably the most significant factor in helping that along.

They did have that "playing through" stuff when they broke for commentary.

 

[am1]

A lot of reported cases today for pro sports. It does help to show how many people are infected but do not know it. 100% testing shows that.

 

[Brett]

A lot of reported cases today for pro sports. It does help to show how many people are infected but do not know it. 100% testing shows that.

might be related to being in Florida

"Several professional sports teams might be feeling the effects of a coronavirus surge in Florida."
"Major League Baseball's Philadelphia Phillies have closed their spring training complex in Clearwater, after eight members of the team tested positive for COVID-19"

https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/06/19/881034420/floridas-surging-coronavirus-numbers-hobble-several-pro-sports-teams