Re-Opening Of Sports A Major Success

Against the backdrop of an unprecedented and depressing pandemic, the reemergence of pro and collegiate sports has been a shining success. Months of no new sports programming has been replaced by a veritable televised Disneyland of sports. There have of course been a few bumps and setbacks in this brave new world, but it is remarkable how the creativity and flexibility displayed by leagues, conferences, franchises and television production networks has seamlessly led to a rich menu of sports offerings.

Major League Baseball, MLS, some high school football, much of college football and the NFL are playing regular season games. The NBA, WNBA and NHL are in their playoffs. Golf and tennis tournaments occur virtually every week. It has created an unprecedented cornucopia of televised sports. Those franchises that have allowed fans like the Kansas City Chiefs and the Dallas Cowboys, and some college football stadiums have not seen major Covid-19 repercussions

The participants in these games are arguably the safest Americans in the country when it comes to avoiding the virus. College and professional sports have followed the most sophisticated science and medical guidance in adopting practices that require regular testing. The athletes and coaches have either been in an NBA-type bubble or are virtually quarantined in their daily routine and travel. I would much rather have a son playing college football under the strict guidelines and testing of a coach like Alabama's Head Coach Nick Saban, than going to bars and fraternities parties sans masks.

Any athletes with pre-existing conditions or sensitive family considerations have been permitted to opt out. Journalists and cynics touted the early cases in MLB and a few spikes at colleges as a reason to shut everything down. Because of the contact nature of football, skeptics argued these players are at the highest risk. Notwithstanding the skeptics, it is whether infected players are competing, not the contact that is the risk.

Pro and college sports have presented an interesting model for safe practices amidst the continuing pandemic threat. Clearly, daily testing may be too expensive for some sports at some levels to utilize. The good news is that sports are back and the country is better for it.