Sports ruled out amid worldwide pandemic

No timetable for return

Nolan Wasserman, Sports Writer|April 3, 2020

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Katie Mullaney

From high school to the pros, sports all around the world are being postponed to slow the spread of COVID-19.

March 26 was gearing up to be an epic day to be a sports fan. The Sweet 16 of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament would have begun, carrying the excitement and intensity associated with March Madness. It also would have been Opening Day for the MLB, which always arrives with thrilling anticipation for the season ahead. Additionally, the NBA and NHL would have been going into the final weeks of their seasons, with the playoffs looming just around the corner. 

Yet, the day went by without any of these — all of which were cancelled due to coronavirus concerns. 

For the first time in what seems like forever, we are living in a world without sports. Everything from the pros down to youth sports has been postponed or cancelled. Here at Pascack Valley, there is no indication as to the next time school sports will be played, whereas NCAA spring sports have been called off, all in the name of social distancing and fears of the fast-spreading pandemic. 

While millions of sports fans around the world now find themselves missing their top source of entertainment, everyone must accept that this is the best — and only — solution. The virus can be extremely dangerous, and sporting officials have undoubtedly made the right decision to cancel events — no matter how upsetting it might be.

It has been about two weeks since most major sports seasons were suspended or postponed, and future plans are just beginning to be put into place. The Tokyo Olympics have now officially been moved to next summer, and are slated for July 23 to Aug. 8, 2021.

The NBA and NHL’s seasons are currently suspended, and with the virus showing no signs of slowing down, it is safe to say fans will not see either of these leagues in action for a while. Each is looking for a solution, and one idea being thrown around is the possibility of skipping right to the playoffs. In the worst-case scenario, each league may be forced to abandon its respective season as a whole. 

Similarly, the MLB and MLS, which are still in the beginning of their seasons, have both noted that they would like to play close to, if not full seasons, and have contemplated moving back the playoffs in order to do so.

The NCAA has cancelled its spring season, as well as the March Madness Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments. This will surely have numerous effects on the NCAA, as it will lose more than 80% of its annual revenue by cancelling the tournament. Additionally, all student-athletes playing spring sports will be granted an extra year of eligibility, meaning there will be less room on rosters for incoming players. 

UEFA, the governing body of European soccer, has stopped all games — both club and international. It is exploring options for finishing the season in August when the 2021 season is scheduled to start, and consequently shortening the 2021 season.

Perhaps the most telling of the chagrin around the world could be the cover of Sports Illustrated. The cover, which normally features a player or team, along with the headlines of stories within the issue, simply shows empty stadium seats. 

These are unchartered times that we, as sports fans, are living through. However, it’s important to keep in mind that as boring as life without sports can be, it is only temporary. For now, us sports fans will have to settle for watching old games, documentaries, and whatever else sports channels have to offer during this time. So the next time ESPN comes on, but only to show an old basketball game, just remember that the live sports we all know and love will be back soon.

The COVID-19 pandemic has left the sports world in a state of disarray, unsure of when life can return to normal.