Sports have been a part of American life for many years. Americans love watching their favorite sports and cheering on their local teams. Sports have become a staple of American culture but the COVID-19 pandemic has changed everything. Today, it is impossible to turn on the television and watch a live sporting event. It seems everything has been canceled or postponed by the pandemic. When will things get back to normal? That is difficult to say. How has your favorite sport been impacted by COVID-19?
Below, you will learn how the sports world has adapted to COVID-19.
NHL Playoffs
The National Hockey League was inching closer to the end of the regular season when COVID-19 struck. Now, the league has hit the pause button and more positive tests have been returned. Suffice to say, it doesn’t appear that the NHL is going to return to action anytime soon. However, it has been said that the league may hold playoffs anyway. Gary Bettman was involved in a call with President Donald Trump and several other sports commissioners.
Trump told commissioners that he hopes fans can return to stadiums and arenas by August or September. It is unknown if that time frame is realistic. The NHL has extended its self-quarantine period to April 15 but it’ll likely be extended again. Will the NHL hold playoffs? There is a chance that the league will place all teams into the playoffs and go from there. However, it is too early to say what is going to happen.
It is important to remain patient since the COVID-19 pandemic is going to be long and drawn out.
NFL
The National Football League will begin playing soon. Or, they should. That likely isn’t going to happen with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, the organization has found ways to get involved anyway. It has been reported that the NFL is planning a Relief Telethon that will be held during the 2020 Draft. The draft will take place from April 23rd to the 25th. The event’s scope will be limited with some team officials conducting business from home. None of the draftees will be allowed the attend the event either.
A telethon would help give back to the people who have been fighting COVID on the front lines as well as those who’ve been impacted by the virus.
WNBA Postpones
The WNBA would start training camps at the end of April with the regular season getting underway on May 15. However, it has been announced that the league is going to postpone the start. The training camps and regular season start will be pushed back due to the COVID pandemic. However, the organization is going to continue with its draft. It will hold a virtual draft on April 17. League Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said Friday that the team will conduct scenario-planning regarding new start dates as well as innovative formats.
The WNBA is another sports league that has been put on hold due to the COVID-19 virus. Suffice to say, you cannot bet on the games at https://indosbobet178.com yet.
UFC
The UFC is one of the few sports leagues that decided to continue despite the COVID-19 pandemic. It hosted one event in Brazil without an audience. Then, it faced significant backlash so it decided to postpone events. However, the organization is looking for ways to start again. On Monday, the UFC is expected to announce the fight card and venue for its upcoming UFC 249 event. The event was supposed to be headlined by Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov. However, the champion has pulled out of the fight so that isn’t going to happen now.
WWE Continues
Unlike other organizations, World Wrestling Entertainment has pushed forward. It held its 2-night WrestleMania event in an empty building. And, many will agree that it was a smashing success. During the event, Edge beat Randy Orton to revive his career. Meanwhile, Former Patriot tight end and Superbowl Champ Rob Gronkowski won the 24/7 Championship. So far, WWE has not had any positive COVID-19 tests so the show is going to continue.
WWE is one of the few organizations that has decided to continue performing despite the pandemic. Will that last? Only time will tell. For Vince and the World Wrestling Entertainment, the show must continue. The XFL was forced to shut down earlier this year.