The Light at the End of the Tunnel

It’s been over two months since sports came to a screeching halt following the outbreak of COVID-19. Now, it looks like we are slowly returning to normal, and the return of college and professional sports may be just around the corner.

Here are some of the ways organizations are adjusting their operations to get back up and running, while obeying CDC and national health guidelines.

National Basketball Association

The National Basketball Association (NBA) was one of the first organizations to suspend operations when the virus broke out, going so far as to suspend games in the middle of play. Opinions on whether or not the league should continue this season, or cancel it and move on to next year vary, but most of the players are in support of the 2019-20 season coming back, whatever form that takes. Players Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell were some of the first athletes to test positive for COVID-19, but now report they are symptom-free.

The NBA authorized individual workouts for players a few weeks ago, which allows players to get back into the gym for one-on-one workouts with the team’s trainer. For example, Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love returned to the team’s facility, and had his shots rebounded to him by a trainer wearing a mask and gloves.

According the ESPN’s NBA insider, Adrian Wojnarowski, the NBA expects to have guidelines to allow players and teams to return to basketball by June 1.

Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball (MLB) has had to postpone its 2020 season by almost two months, having to move back its original opening day, scheduled for March 26, to a later date. Fortunately for fans, the new
projection for baseball’s return is July 4, which will be preceded by teams workouts and spring training activities.

The Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) recently approved a proposal from league executives authorizing this July return, with certain modifications to how players behave in the dugouts, and how they socialize before and after the game. The season would be cut down to 82 games, almost half of the usual 162, with players spending time in hotels and their contact with others monitored. The postseason would also grow to include 14 teams instead of 10.

Even though July 4 is a few months away, the knowledge that baseball is on its way back should be enough to keep fans satisfied for the time being.

National Football League

For the most part, the National Football League (NFL) has stayed on schedule, rarely adjusting its plans for the upcoming season. Other than cancelling the in-person draft, opting to do the event virtually,
and team facilities being closed to everyone until earlier this week, there is minimal to report. Players are not in agreement to the level NBA players are; because of the increased contact in the sport of football, as well as the increased team size (NFL teams have 53 players, while NBA teams have an active roster of 13), players are more hesitant to return. However, I believe as the league continues to progressively resume its normal operations, players will get on board and trust the organization’s new policies will keep them as safe as possible.

Changes are being made in other leagues as well, including Major League Soccer (MLS), the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and the National Hockey League (NHL). Hopefully, the adjustments leagues are making to resume their seasons safely will increase the trust that players have for their respective leagues, as well as show the public the light at the end of the tunnel.