By Michael Heilman
Last week, the world watched many sports leagues like the NBA, NHL, XFL, NCAA, and others either canceled, postpone, or delay their seasons. At first, sports leagues restricted media access to the player’s locker rooms. Then Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for the coronavirus that led to many leagues canceling games the next day. With almost a week into having no sports, there will be no doubt that changes are coming.
Once sports resume, I think leagues will no longer allow the media into the locker rooms after every game, and it would be wise for all sports leagues to do this by allowing the players to clean up and change. Once they are done in the locker room, then they can go to the podium and talk to the media. If a reporter has a specific player they want to talk to, I’m sure teams will cooperate with them to get the player they wish to interview.
As far as fans go, I think stadiums and arenas will check people if they show signs of the flu or other viruses. They may just not let them into the games and give them a refund instead. I also believe that these venues will hire extra people for cleaning the stadiums and arenas. From here on out, it’s all about protecting the players, workers, and spectators.
History has shown us that change helps for a better future, and with this virus comes another lesson that everyone should learn. While I do believe that in the future, there will be a coronavirus vaccine that will be part of people getting a flu shot, now is the time to regroup and plan for the future.
Another lesson that this virus is also teaching us to believe it or not is shortening the season schedule. With leagues like the NBA, NHL, and MLB having more games than other leagues, players are more likely to get sick during the season. In reality, these leagues won’t cut the schedule down due to money, and that’s a shame. The only way the schedule could be cut down has to come from each league player’s associations. Major League Baseball doesn’t need to play 162 games a year. The NBA and NHL don’t need to play 82 games a year. All of these games are doing a number to these players, which leads to a majority of them getting sick and injured because they play too many games.
If we’re going to help prevent this virus and any other future viruses from spreading to other people and athletes, it’s time for sports leagues to change the way they do business altogether. While many people from the media and fans will have questions about these moves, they will understand why these moves must be made.
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