The coronavirus (COVID-19) has shut down nearly all aspects of society, and it has the sports world wondering: “Will there be sports in 2020?” So far, it seems that the answer to that question is no, there will be no organized sports in the year 2020.
Many organizations have done testing of the players for COVID-19. The NBA, for example, was one of the first leagues to begin testing their players and the first player test positive was Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, according to ESPN.
From there, testing began for nearly all players and now, the NBA has more than 10 players that have tested positive, which leads to further concerns about other sports and athletes and leagues are suspending all games until further notice.
With this in mind, it is hard to see a complete 2020 season pan out, as there have been no vaccines proven to slow or stop this virus, though they are in the works. For fans, this means no closure, and for teams, it means the end to a promising year.
For example, with Lebron James coming to LA in 2018, the Lakers had promise this season; James was leading the Lakers to their first postseason appearance since 2013. However, the Lakers were not the only team wanting to play a strong season; the LA Clippers, with the recent addition of Kawhi Leonard, were also hoping for a big year.
Doran Grant, a cornerback in the XFL, plays for the DC Defenders.
These current suspensions in professional sports seem to be standard across the board, as the newly re-established XFL also cut their season short in early March. For them, the news was devastating, as some players were just beginning their careers.
Likewise, due to the uncertainty surrounding the virus, there seems to be no foreseeable end to this madness, leaving many worried about the existence or lack of fall and winter sports in 2020 as well.
There is no doubt that COVID-19 has taken its toll on the sports world, and it seems that for the time being, the virus is here to stay. Therefore, it appears that there will be no sports, across all levels of play, in 2020.
That’s why I believe that professional teams, down to the smallest organizations, should ban sports for the 2020 season. COVID-19 has already canceled schools across the world, showing its predominance, and there is no saying how far it may spread.
Teams should re-group when it is safe and produce the online content many teams have already done, like 2K tournaments for basketball. Focusing on keeping players and fans healthy until the 2021 season is crucial.
Likewise, this untimely ending to the season will give teams an opportunity to prepare for next year, as they can use this valuable time as an extended off-season.
