Since the beginning of the pandemic back in the Spring, major adjustments across all industries and professions have had to be made. For sports, the Covid-19 pandemic initially led to cancellation all across the board: from little league, high school, collegiate, and all the way to the professional level, teams and players across the U.S. and world had their seasons called off entirely. However, with increasing knowledge of the virus and likewise how to prevent its spread, leagues began to re-start their seasons with major changes, one of the most apparent being the lack of fans. Specifically, efforts such as elevated safety procedures, testing protocols, and strict protective equipment requirements have allowed professional athletes to get back to work, unfortunately however, not without major risk and consequence. These past few weeks in the U.S. have been absolutely devastating in terms of the increase in Covid-19 spread, and this increase is reflected clearly in the NFL, which in September averaged about six cases a week and now averages around 54. A highly anticipated Thanksgiving game scheduled for this past Thursday between the Steelers and Ravens got cancelled due to 20 players on the Ravens alone being placed on Covid-19 reserve list (they either have it or have been in contact with someone who has). Despite cases being identified, the league did not have a single cancellation or schedule change due to the virus for its entire first month after resuming, and we can now see how harmful that has been.
With the Steelers vs. Ravens game first being postponed to Sunday and then Tuesday, I believe that it is a ridiculously short amount of time to delay a game where so many players risk spreading the virus to others, and who let alone may not be in the condition to play. Earlier outbreaks such as when eight players on the Titans tested positive in a week should have been wake up calls, especially in terms of rescheduling games with a long enough time in between the original and new date to ensure that players and staff members can isolate for the timeline established, and then be tested to ensure that they can't still spread the virus and are okay themselves. The reluctance to take appropriate action in the face of risk such as Covid-19 exposure highlights that despite the efforts being made to ensure safety, that there is still business to be done and money to be made, and that requires games to happen. I think therefore that there is too much pressure from league leaders to proceed with games that should be cancelled in actuality. This begs the question then of whether or not it is reasonable to resume sports, especially a contact sport with no possibilities for distancing, and which has not been managing the safety of athletes and staff well.
- Should professional sports be sidelined for the time being?
- What further actions need to be taken by leagues and teams to ensure the safety of all players, coaches, trainers, medical staff, etc?
- What is your reaction to the NFL carrying on with their season despite outbreaks which occur repeatedly? Are they handling their situation responsibly?
I definitely think that professional sports should be sidelined for the time being because so many players are getting infected to the point where too many games are being cancelled or postponed, which just leaves fans with a shell of a season, making the health risks no longer worth it. Plus, I feel like these big sports teams that have millions of fans should be setting an example of how to act during this time, instead of just forcing it to work to keep the money coming. I know that many use sports as a way to relax and it can get their minds off of what's happening right now, but personally I don't think it's quite worth it, as the situation only gets more severe. I think the safest option would just be to end the season(s) completely, in order to set a good example for the public and keep their players and staff healthy, as Covid-19 can also have long-term effects that could impact players careers negatively if they contract the virus.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree that especially now sports need to be evaluated for their Covid risk and management so far, and that also, negative long-term health impacts of Covid can prove detrimental to athlete's careers and futures. Additionally, I really liked your point on how these big national sports and leagues should be setting the example for others to follow both directly in the "sports world," and beyond for people all across the nation. I think that it could be interesting to observe whether the cancellation of professional league-play would promote more awareness and safety concern; Maybe if leagues held drives outside their stadiums or set up safe booths through which PPE could be distributed, it could help shift the mentalities of many while also ensuring the safety of individuals who might not have the means to obtain protective equipment themselves.
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ReplyDeleteI agree with Lauren that professional sports should be sidelined. I understand the strong emotions the fans must be going through right now already since they are not watching the games in person, but not having a season would be better in the long run as it will allow normal life to return sooner. If extensive safety protocols are already taken and Covid-19 cases are still rising, then I'm not sure if there is anything else that can be done to ensure the safety of the players other than canceling the season. I think it's very irresponsible of NFL to continue the season despite the reoccurring rising of Covid-19 cases, in my opinion, the players should always be prioritized as money and seasons come and go, it's the players that make a season special. Also like Lauren said that if players come in contact with the virus it will have an extended period of negative effects on their body therefore career, thus not playing would be the safest and best option we have at the moment.
ReplyDeleteYou make a great point here in saying that through making a sacrifice today to sideline sports for a while, that it will mitigate the spread of the virus and in fact help bring sports back sooner as a result. Another great point you mention is the value of safety and health over money, however, it unfortunately seems like large leagues and organizations for the most part are pushing through as much as possible to maintain their business and prominence (which comes from things such as television). While it has been very fortunate for the NFL specifically that players and staff are recovering, the effects of the virus which range so greatly puts the future in question, so I agree that there definitely should be a greater sense of responsibility and accountability.
DeleteFor the most part, I do think that professional sports should be sidelined, as the large teams and the support staff of said team are often in close proximity and at a higher risk of catching the disease. That being said, I think it depends on the kind of professional sport. For example, low or non-team professional sports such as fencing or ones that are able to practice proper social distancing such as golf shouldn't necessarily be sidelined as they are at a much lower risk, and entertainment of any sort is necessary in order to help maintain a positive public psyche, especially at a time like this.
ReplyDeleteSimilar to Zeke and Lauren’s views, I agree that a majority of professional sports should be sidelined for the time being. Given that football not only fields large gatherings but is also a contact sport, it is simply too unsafe to continue this sport as numbers are starting to spike. In addition, it seems the NFL’s loose precautions have been ineffective as seen in the statistic in the article. However, I think with thorough planning, some sports should be able to ensue. For instance, during the earlier months of the pandemic, the NBA did an excellent job keeping the virus in control. It was clear safety measures were taken seriously in their NBA “bubble,” which essentially all players were contained within one facility throughout the duration of the season. For leagues that fail to take these measures due to technical challenges or other factors however, should be sidelined.
ReplyDeleteAs many have mentioned above, sports during this time do not seem like it should be the biggest priority. With thousands of lives being lost daily, a football game can wait. With that being said, I completely understand the stress relief and passion that surrounds sports, as they are critical for mental and physical health country-wide, even watching others play. For this reason, the NBA, and particularly Adam Silver, have set a great example of how to conduct professional sports in a safe manner. If the NFL followed in these footsteps then they should definitely be allowed to continue operating, however for now that is not the case.
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