On the TunneySide of Sports Aug 10, 2020 #808 Up next… It’s not just about football, or is it?
After further review… Many are concerned that the NFL may not have a season in 2020 or, perhaps, even Super Bowl LV in 2021. Some college/university conferences have this same concern and are canceling this season altogether. It is often overlooked that spring sports may also be voided. Sports like track and field, swimming, water polo, gymnastics, lacrosse, etc., depend on full football stadiums and television for the revenue to support them.
It is well-known that football in most colleges have for years carried the financial burden of supporting all other “minor” sports (this term is not meant to disparage those sports since they serve so many student/athletes). However, in today’s (2020) athletic environment the finances from football are not sufficient to carry all sports.
Further, in this COVID-19 Pandemic era football may not happen at all. Some major universities may have private donors to keep football alive, but they have to have opponents, which may not be available. Title IX was enacted in 1972 to provide equal opportunity for women’s sports along with men’s opportunities. While this enactment was a wonderful opportunity for women’s participation, most, if not all universities, do not charge admission to support those programs. Sporting goods companies, e.g., Nike, Dick’s more often than not have supplied uniforms with their logos embossed on them free to the schools. This is beginning to change.
Moving to the scholastic level (high schools), if football and basketball are moved to the spring semester after the COVID-19 has subsided, how does baseball, track and field, girls field hockey, swimming, volleyball, and other sports fit in the scheduling? There are simply not enough days left to do so. In addition, some high school athletes compete in more than one sport and may find that impossible. Would it be prudent not to have sports played in schools during 2020 or until a proven vaccine is plentiful enough to allow sports to be safe? Just asking.
In less than one year (July 2021) the XXXII Olympiad (32nd for those not familiar with Latin) will be held in Tokyo, Japan. Will the USA athletes have time in this pandemic year to fully prepare for their participation? The final year before any Olympics all athletes are in “crash-mode” for preparing for their event. Will the USA Olympians be in top form to adequately compete?
Will you log-in your thoughts on how to approach this novel year in sports?
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