Sports Update - what do you think now?

If they can just figure it out with no fans we should be good to go here. Just have the daily tests for all the players. And Hell people are dying to watch.

Btw right now it’s just so weird having a summer without baseball.

All will start eventually. NFL, NBA, MLB will not finish. NBA in particular due to the rising number of cases in FL (Bubble or no bubble). NCAA Football will likely be in the Spring. Just my $.02.

I don't know how you can be diligent enough as a pro athlete to prevent spread within a team if someone comes down with it during prolonged time together. I think that government reactions to Covid are too extreme in some cases but this thing is easily spread it seems.

I just think that social media and pressure from mainstream media will for a shutdown after an outbreak. Horseracing started at Del Mar and was shut down after a dozen or so jockeys came down with Covid.

I'm one of the ones back to my normal life that includes a lot of travel but I don't live next to a group of guys from day to day like a sports team is. I want to be back to normal but don't know how successful it will be.

Under the circumstances, I like how MLB has piped in crowd noise. It gets louder when a guy hits the ball or makes a great play. I just wish they had booing also.

Now, if they would just get rid of that fucking strike zone graphic over the catcher's face... holy shit that makes the game almost impossible to watch, with or without fans in the seats.

misterorange,

Are you talking about the cutouts of the people in the seats? If so, that might just well be to try and duplicate what the pitcher sees in game action. They are strange creatures, you know.

MLB seems to have the best set up.

NBA it sounds like the players are gonna sneak out or sneak people in. The bubble won't hold. Some of the teams barely have a roster as it is with opt outs.

NCAA football without fans seems wrong. I get that it's now a national televised sport. The thin veneer of student athletes probably won't help them.

NHL has it best being in Canada.

Finally NFL. The fact they play one game a week may help a lot. They have deep rosters.

It's all so up in the air

Mr_O
No, I'm talking about the superimposed digital box that outlines the strike zone on every pitch. It's been going on for the last 4 years or so. While the ball is crossing the plate it pops up a little circle where the computer says the ball came in, and leaves the viewer with no ability to judge for himself whether or not it was a good pitch. I can live with the replay rule (although I don't like it) but the "K-Zone" computer shit just makes the game almost unwatchable. It's fucking garbage, and just another small example of how we're being turned into zombies with our freedom being stepped on.

NHL/NBA are under strict bubbles. A few might get caught sneaking out and suspended, but the seasons ought to end.

MLB is trickier since players are allowed to live with their families and not be in a bubble on the road. More will test positive than the NBA/NHL, but rosters are large enough and most that do get it seem to be active within a week or so. I believe money will speak, and the season will be completed even if with some key players missing.

NFL will be like MLB; however, given the more physical nature of the sport, we could see many more NFL players opting out of the season than in MLB. The NFL can also survive without fans since they have the most lucrative media deal.

College sports are the biggest question mark. Many conferences will cancel/defer the season since ticket sales are actually quite critical to the NCAA football infrastructure. Also the impact on football will trickle down to other sports programs that rely on football to survive. Many marginal programs will go under.

It would be great if they did that on the replay, but not on the live pitch EVERY SINGLE TIME. I feel like an idiot even watching this shit anymore.

Summer without baseball..............FANTASTIC slow and boring IMHO

We have our fantasy baseball draft tonight. I have done less than zero research in that I haven't even read a normal article on baseball. NHL -Go Bruins. NBA - go away. Nfl - not happening. Baseball closes back down in August because its too American for progressives and it makes people happy.

I'm not very optimistic with any of this now. Too many pussies out there. And not the kind for sale.

What happens when a player, coach, or staff tests positive ? Does the rest of the team, some of whom will soon be infected but currently testing negative, continue to practice and play ?

It seems like that’s where this whole approach fails. If a single person testing positive is enough to shut down, it can’t work.

And, we already have baseball players kneeling during practice games. BLM supportive phrases on NBA jerseys. It’s already a shit show.

Sports is supposed to unite us. Fat chance these days.

The NFL doesnt seem to be doing anything. We'll see. I still have doubts about the nba until they actually start back. College sports are gone. Most of them are only committed to playing conference games at this point. Some conferences wont play at all.

I think each pro sport will have a season of some sort. Money will dictate that.

How recognizable will it be and will it work? Who knows.

Yeah with NCAA football haven’t about 1/4th of the conferences already thrown towel?

Correct me if I’m wrong but the only power 5 conference to say anything yet is the Big10 saying they won’t play any out of conference games? But I know the California governor threatened to block any college football games happening in California this fall essentially ending the PAC season.

Fantasy baseball draft tonight. Look forward to a bit of normalcy, but not bullish about the season making it to the finish.

NHL has the best chance of completing their season IMO. In a bubble, in Canada and testing has resulted in far fewer positive tests than the NBA testing has. Go Bruins.

NBA, I don't care. Real men play hockey in the winter (well usually...)

NFL I have a hard time imagining them making it through a normal-type season with or without fans.

I don’t know how any of the sports seasons are going to play out my best guess is there will be some form of product extremely modified if it isn’t satisfactory the money leagues will kill their brands bringing some new leagues to compete for the piles of television money that’ll be available

misterorange,
Understand. I'm not a big baseball fan so don't watch much unless the game is on where I am. I'm not a big fan of trying to think up new ways to "expand our viewing pleasure"!

One thing not mentioned is that many leagues have huge payout required if they don’t play (for missed television) so they are extremely motivated to make something happen that can be televised. NBA and NHL in particular are going to have to refund some of the money they got for last year if they don’t give stations something to broadcast. The penalties trigger for cancelled games but not for postponed games I understand.

I assume pro-sports are a go - as some have mentioned, there is too-much $$$ at stake all the way around from players to owners to broadcasters to merchandise, etc - Formula-1 and MotoGP along with NASCAR and Indy racing are all active - I know the driver is pretty-much isolated but the crews are in fairly close contact although they do use masks.

It's been such a strange year, by now I am usually dying for football season to start, just not feeling it this year. I have a feeling whatever games do get played won't be very good. I could see a team in need of a quarterback who wants Fields or Lawrence next year just being like team is on IR because of Covid, see you at the draft.

NBA unveils Black Lives Matter on Orlando court

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/2951…

The NBA is a joke, don't watch it anymore.
MLB has the best chance to continue playing through this situation since it is much less contact.
I give the NFL 3 to 4 weeks before they have to shut down again due to too many players out with COVID.

I agree with a lot of what Cowboy says.
NBA - by strongly taking a side, they’ve alienated the other side, will not watch and besides the league is pussified.
MLB - boring
NFL - high chance the league shuts down because of Covid
Hence, the rise of e-gaming over the next few years.

Was enjoying the Celtics this year, but unfortunately the league they were in disappeared.

ESPN Goes Full Marxist While Ratings Drop To All-Time Lows

https://society-reviews.com/2020/06/26/e…

^
Let them reap what they sow.

Same with the NBA and the NFL too if they follow the same path.

Covid could take fantasy football to a whole other level.

I'm not interested. The fan interaction is a huge part of sports. This sort of generic sterile game just so players can get their millions and networks can bank off of ad revenue doesn't interest me

I've watched some baseball where they have cardboard cutouts of fans in the seats. How sad.
Now someone needs to motorize them so they can do the wave.

Good news for whiteguys:

"... National Basketball Association appoints Oris Stuart as chief people and inclusion officer ..."

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/23/nba-appo…

Saw a NBA game with a video screen the length of the court behind the bench. It would have ads and video of a crowd!

F1 is back and that is the only sport that matters you hethens

^ yeah - I've watched the first 3 races (have my DVR set to record the entire season) - also, MotoGP will have it's 2nd race this Sunday

Well, the opening games of MLB last night show that they've gone "full NBA" on the social justice bandwagon. The first inning of Yankees/Nats was the last inning I'll ever watch.

Yeah - I've giving up on most sports as well as woke ESPN and most of sports radio b/c they are all drinking the "institutional racism is everywhere" Koolaid - they've decided to align themselves with just one side/POV and so be it; I guess I can find other things to do w/ the time I previously devoted to sports watching

I may watch pro football for as long as it is on as I love it. But this pandering to BLM is ridiculous and has alienated me. Whatever you believe - whether it’s a just social movement, a political movement, etc. I don’t want or need that mixed in sports. Just shut up and play ball.

On Thursday evening I watched the scrimage between the Lakers and Dallas, it was different to see the game played without fans, but I was happy to watch live basketball.

The social justice messages on and off the court have no impact on me, I hope the NFL plays the full season.

mark my words, the NFL will be playing a full schedule. No pre-season games, but all of their regular season games. Why? Because the economics are different for the NFL than they are for the NBA and MLB.

Here's some simple math. Each NFL team made $275 million last year just in NFL revenue share from TV deals and merchandise licensing. This year's player salary cap is $198 million and many teams are below the cap. So even teams with no fans allowed will be strongly motivated to play because their losses from general overhead and other fixed expenses will be far worse for each game that is not played.

MLB and NBA teams, OTOH, rely much more heavily upon gate receipts and concessions for their revenue. MLB teams are actually losing money for each game played without fans this year and, if not for the fear of a long-term fan revolt, the owners would have gladly foregone the season altogether.

As far as NFL players sitting out, please already. The vast bulk of players of low contract guys who can't afford it. For the remaining 20%, most of them aren't going to give up a whole season payday. There may be a few high profile veterans who have already made a shit ton and can afford to do it, but not enough to seriously impact the season IMO.

I can't wait for NFL football to start.

MLB has to play or they lose the fan base. Remember the strike season ?? Took years to recover.

College sports will be delayed, until fans can be present for football. Football is the cash cow that supports most other sports, so they have to find a way to play.

NFL will try to play but will stop at half way mark, when too many positives hit.

NBA will play around 25 to 35 games then have to head straight to the playoffs because too many strippers brought into the bubble by the players. Spread of COVID hits 40%.

===> "NFL will try to play but will stop at half way mark, when too many positives hit."

@etsutwigg222: Never gonna' happen. These are young guys who play a game where they know that any play on the field could be their last. They aren't afraid of something that will likely be minor for them anyway. They also know that their careers could be and aren't going to miss those big game checks if they can avoid it.

Nobody in this mix wants to stop playing, not the owners and not the players. There is too much damned money at stake. They will play the full season, I guarantee it.

But hey, I'll make you a deal. If I'm wrong, then on a day of your choosing I will post at least 10 posts extolling your virtues and post nothing to contradict them after. If we make it to the end of a full season, you will do the same. This is how confident I am that the full season will play out.

And when I say full season, I am not talking about a single team which decides to sit out a week or two because of an outbreak on their roster. I'm talking about a league wide pronouncement from the NFL cancelling or shortening the season once it has begun.

Deal? 😀

I was watching the Dodgers game today and I thought it was stupid to have the cardboard cutouts of fans in the seats behind the hitter and the crowd noise is annoying.

If the fans are not in the Stadium just play the game like that, the artificial stuff feels so gimmicky and ameteurish.

These are professional athletes they need to cope with the situation and the Networks should just deal with the strange optics of this baseball season.

They make $ from the cardboard cutouts as fans and/or sponsors pay for it. Also notice other areas are covered with tarps with advertising. It is all about maximizing revenue opportunities with the loss of ticket and concessions revenue.

The simulated crowd noise (via video game companies) helps mask the voices of the teams. They have upped the volume of the "crowd" as you could noticeably hear the players/coaches cussing on the first day.

Also to all those concerned with the "BLM" on the mound (only there for opening day) and pre-game ceremonies, it is just what is required as part of PR if you are a billion dollar media business in America today. Notice the BLM has been replaced by a logo from a major sponsor on Saturday.

Pretty impressive for a 54 y/o:

https://youtu.be/mvwb08rorMg

Not good to hear but a couple of baseball games have already been cancelled due to covid outbreaks. So far it has hit the Reds and Marlins the hardest but they are looking closely at teams they have been playing. It is going to be tough for the season to finish if it gets worse.

Steelers' Stephon Tuitt: 'I'm not kneeling for the flag

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/pittsburg…

Only the Marlins cancelled games due to positive tests. The other three teams just experienced the collateral damage of being scheduled to play them or having just played them. The commissioner is determined to complete the season.

I don't think any of the MLB players that have publicly disclosed having the virus have had symptoms more serious than a fever with exception of Boston's Eduardo Rodriguez who has developed a heart ailment.

Players are starting to opt out of NFL season. This could be XFL level games if enough do.

Patriots are being hit harder than any other team so far by opt outs. Five, including Donta Hightower and Marcus Cannon. Not good.

I think its early days and more from every team will be coming

Marlins season is on hold for 7 days. The team they played, Phillies, is shut down until Friday. Marlins have had 17 players or coaches test positive.

It's going to be a weird NFL season

NFL players can opt out and get $350,000 if they have a risk factor, like obesity. There goes every team’s back up OLine and DLine.

The Woke movement continues - God forbid anyone disagrees:

"Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2020 Issue Features ‘Curviest Model Ever’"

https://www.dailywire.com/news/sports-il…

Curviest? Yeah right.
The bottom line is despite the progressive posturing the only real bottom line Sports illustrated cares about is profits. I hope their latest choices of featuring a tranny and a fat chick in the swimsuit issue comes back to bite them in the ass.

The swimsuit issue was dying due to the internet. Going woke is a pure marketing gimmick