Watching today’s U.S. Women’s Pro Tennis Series match between Alicia Parks and Angela Kulikov, it dawned on me that individual sports have the upperhand in returning to normal quicker than team sports. Perhaps, individualism may just reign supreme during the pandemic known as COVID-19.
While social distancing and staying safe would not be true for all individual sports, there are a few sports where those parameters could be met. Track, golf, tennis, alpine skiing and bowling could meet those parameters whereas it would be difficult to do so in swimming, dog sledding or even cycling.
For those sports that I feel would be able to meet the safety parameters, it is due to the possibility of contamination of the water, the likelihood of spreading it to the virus to the dogs or the closeness within cycling as they tend to ride in packs. But with tennis, all that is absolutely necessary are the two players and the judge(s). With track, you can make runners stay within their lanes and space them out every other lane with more heaps to be ran.
It is a matter of finding ways to play and not catch a virus which scientists and doctors feel may be starting to mutate. Fans in the stands are a definite no, but since the games or matches could be available online and television there are several fascinating opportunities for these sports.
A per match or game television contract could increase revenue and viewership of the sport in the future. Women’s sports, which have been taking advantage of this opportunity, have a chance to erase stereotypes and bring in new revenue. This could help the NHL, NBA and MLS if they support these sports to avoid the force majeure by helping their television partners offset their financial losses.
Oh, the possibilities . . . the opportunity for fans to see sports live right now during the pandemic. And perhaps, a new love of individual sports will rise while we wait for enough normalcy in the world for team sports to return.
Source: WatchMojo.com