Life Post-COVID-19— Sports Edition

When will the COVID-19 pandemic officially come to a halt? Unfortunately, the answer is undetermined for an unseen amount of time. (aegonlife.com)

It feels as if March of 2020 was a century ago. But here we are, October of 2020, 7 months and the pandemic is still on the rise. If you were to ask anyone once the virus surfaced the United States, “how long do you see this being an issue?” I do not believe many would have guessed it would still be an underlying issue. Time heals all, and right now we as a globe need to be more patient than ever.

So what does this mean for the sports field toward the future? Will masks, limited attendance, health screening, etc. be a new norm for years to come? Only time will tell. Thankfully now more than ever we as a society are so technology dependent that sports can be watched on almost all platforms (radio, television, smart devices). The real question concerning life after COVID-19 strikes as what does this mean for the athletes of the organizations? Will they have to be regularly tested every day? Will they have to maintain social distancing protocols more strictly than others? As for fans, the social distancing laws will be in effect for some time, and that is simply okay as fans can watch the events through technology.

The New York Mets were one of the first organizations to incorporate “cardboard cutout fans”. Fans would simply send in a photograph of themselves as the Mets would make cardboard cutouts of them. (newsday.com)

As the year 2020 is coming to a close, many wonder how long the pandemic will trend into the year 2021. Many individuals including myself would like to live our daily, ordinary lives again without limitations. Pro-athletes also wonder how their future seasons will be orchestrated.

Below is an article published by Insider —

12 things you may not see in sports after the coronavirus pandemic

Common staples in the sports industry such as high-fiving teammates, handshakes between opponents, spitting, licking of hands/fingers, and celebrations after wins may be a thing in the past until further notice. It may not be the easiest thing to put aside as an athlete, but to focus on our own and families health, it is a must.

Athletes for the U.S. Olympic Soccer team incorporate a “fist, arm bump” in essence of eliminating the common hand-shake prior/post game (nytimes.com).

In life, we are faced with change in the simplest and most complex ways. At this very moment, everything that we are dealing with seems impossible. “If there’s a will, there’s a way.” That famous proverb is one that I tend to live by. Times may be tough now, but they are not permanent, just temporary.

Sources:

Keh, A. (2020, March 13). In Coronavirus Outbreak, the High-Five Is Left Hanging. Retrieved October 18, 2020, from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/13/sports/basketball/coronavirus-high-five.html

Life After COVID — 19 Pandemic: Prepare for a Life After COVID-19 Pandemic. (2020, July 30). Retrieved October 18, 2020, from https://www.aegonlife.com/insurance-investment-knowledge/life-after-covid-19/

Person. (2020, July 24). Cardboard cutout fans at Citi Field. Retrieved October 18, 2020, from https://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/mets-cardboard-cutout-fans-1.46949094

Wilson, M. (2020, July 01). 12 things you may not see in sports after the coronavirus pandemic. Retrieved October 18, 2020, from https://www.insider.com/things-that-will-disappear-from-sports-after-coronavirus-pandemic-2020-6