admin Sports have suffered in the last year and a half, due to unforeseen circumstances. What started out as an outbreak in China, spread to the rest of the world fairly easily, and to be honest, the damage was already done by the time that most of the world found about Covid-19, a virus which should not be taken lightly.
Due to that, a global pandemic event happened, one which all of us are familiar with and the effects of which we all feel, almost daily.
Sports have suffered because of the pandemic, with most tournaments being canceled in 2020 and some slowly returning in 2021. Here is what you can expect to happen to indoor sports in 2021.
Fewer Tournaments and Fewer Athletes Attending Tournaments
Touring sports are particularly difficult to organize, which is why sports like tennis and golf might not have all the tournaments you are used to seeing on a yearly basis.
Tennis, particularly, sees athletes travel from Australia, to Europe, to the United States, which is draining on its own. Add to that at least 15 days of quarantine, and the players cannot safely practice and go to the court without injuries.
Being as it is, fewer athletes will be attending tournaments, including the Masters 1000 series, leading to a loss in viewership as well overall, worse competition.
Bubble Systems for Some Sports
Sports like basketball which are mainly played indoors can all be played in a single stadium if we are talking about the NBA. When talking about international competitions, it is difficult for other countries to give up revenue and broadcasting views which they would otherwise get.
Audiences are rare but they are slowly returning and bubble systems should be introduced for touring sports, where players would not have to move from city to city and country to country. These methods can save time, money and help with the mental aspect of knowing that one does not have to move countries and waste precious time on quarantine.
The Return of Live Audiences
Watching a football match where you hear the fans screaming but only to realize that the fans are virtual and that the broadcasting team is playing recordings can be a bit annoying. The players feel it, as well.
While some less important matches will not have live audiences, finals and semifinals for some sports (and esports) will allow live audiences, even in indoor halls. Measurements will have to be taken, but that is to be expected, given the pandemic situation.
The world has suffered from a global pandemic, but it also served a purpose, one of teaching. We have been taught to be patient and to adapt to new challenges, particularly those in power who have to organize indoor tournaments.
