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By Kevin Cahill ('23)
Around 155 million Americans watch organized sports on television at least once per month. For eye-opening reference, that’s almost half of our nation’s population! On a smaller scale, 3 out of 4 children under the age of 18 participate in sports or some form of physical activity on a day-to-day basis. So, there is no doubt that sports, professional or local, have a huge effect on all of our lives. But this effect severely declined due to the cancellation of most organized sports in fear of the spread of COVID-19 back in March 2020. And now, as of January 2021, the topic of reopening sports is still up in the air, with only a few being approved, making sports limited for athletes. However, with a new vaccine emerging and possibly slowing the spread of COVID-19, sports fans nationwide all have one question on their minds: Is there hope for a 2021 sports season?
The answer to this question is complicated and varies depending on the sport and on the season that the sport is played in. Many government officials, local and national, have started labeling sports as either “low-risk” or “high-risk”. Low-risk sports include sports such as cross-country track and golf, or sports that either take place outside or allow for a reasonable amount of social-distancing. In contrast, high-risk sports include high-contact sports such as basketball and hockey. There are also sports considered to have a medium level of risk, which typically means that they are safe to a limited extent (see the graph to determine if your sport has a low, medium, or high level of risk).
The state of sports at the moment is also a point of concern. While most sports are still on pause, some low-risk sports have begun to open up partially. These sports are mostly professional because they are much more organized and essential than local sports. However, they are only allowed to play by following strict rules, such as not allowing fans to watch in-person, limiting the number of games played, and getting tested before each game. Fortunately, these rules have generally worked so far, so if more sports organizations follow in suit, then there is a good chance that sports will open up sooner.
We also need to consider the current state of the fight against COVID-19, particularly in combat with the new vaccine and its possibility in aiding with the reopening of sports. While this vaccine has been shown to be reliable, there is still a level of uncertainty surrounding the situation. Even if the vaccine is proven to be 100% reliable, there is still the issue of distributing it effectively to the American people, which has found itself to be problematic and time-consuming. So, with all of these factors taken into account, there is no saying in how quick and how effective this process will be. If you would like to learn more about the emerging vaccine, visit the article “Vaccine Composition/Distribution” linked below.
List of Low Risk-High Risk Sports / Arundel County Department of Health
Colorado Rockies' relief pitcher Brian Shaw suits up with his mask before the game starts. / The Wisconsin State Journal
So, what does all of this mean?
Well, using all of these examinations, we may be able to determine when sports will open up in 2021, if they end up opening at all. From a professional standpoint, this points to the conclusion that most professional sports leagues will open up to some extent, whether that means postponing the season, enforcing strict rules, or requiring players to take the vaccine (if it is safely available). But, since professional sports are very important to society and also provide an income for many different people, I believe that athletic organizations will do their best to ensure the reopening of their respected sports by the end of 2021.
From a local standpoint, however, it is much more complicated. Since local/school sports are much less essential to society, it is believed that the first few priorities in reopening athletics will undoubtedly be focused on professional sports, therefore it will take much more time to reopen school sports. But it is still a very real possibility—in fact, many sports are already opening up right here in North Rockland. Most of them are just having occasional practices, but it is a good start. And if we follow COVID-19 guidelines and restrictions, the process will speed up and we will be back to enjoying sports and activities in no time.
While there is currently no clear solution to the issue of reopening sports, one thing is for certain—there definitely is hope. With a new vaccine on its way and new information on COVID-19 coming in regularly, we may be able to slow the spread of the virus and put our goal of reopening sports in sight. But for now, we must put our faith in our health officials to keep researching, and in the American people, to keep living cautiously and safely.
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