Sports without Spectators

[Birdjaguar]

The Corona virus is here.

The National College Players Association is calling on the NCAA to consider holding the March Madness men’s basketball tournament without an audience in order to protect players from the coronavirus.

“In the wake of the emerging coronavirus pandemic, the NCAA and its colleges should take precautions to protect college athletes,” the group said in a statement released Saturday.

“In regard to the NCAA’s March Madness Tournament and other athletic events, there should be a serious discussion about holding competitions without an audience present,” the group added.

The National College Players Association, a nonprofit group that advocates for college athletes, also called for the NCAA to cancel meet-and-greets and press events that would put players in contact with crowds.

The NCAA could not be immediately reached for comment.

There are more than 60 confirmed cases of the coronavirus nationwide. Washington state confirmed the first U.S. death from the virus on Saturday.

The NCAA will reveal the bracket with the 68 teams competing in the tournament on March 15, known as Selection Sunday, with the first four games held on March 17 and 18 at the University of Dayton in Ohio.

What's next?

• Baseball?
• Soccer?
• Tennis?
• Golf?

 

[Farm Boy]

People go to college soccer, tennis, and golf as is?

Only thing I remember about college soccer is that about 8 students from our international student body showed up to a game three sheets to the wind, stole the reserved section seating, and made nuisances of themselves. They showed up to the next game in the same state and noticed that the reserved section had been reallocated and labeled to be for them, specifically. If it's not football or basketball hell, even the novelty of cancellation might be a win on attention.

 

[Birdjaguar]

Not just college sports. MLB may have problems filling seats.

 

[Farm Boy]

May have?

 

[Birdjaguar]

most likely, as will all spring events. Las Vegas conferences will die, Disney World will be empty, The economic loss will be huge.

 

[MaryKB]

I'd prefer Spectators Without Sports XD

 

[Farm Boy]

I'm holding out hope for the Olympics at this point.

 

[Birdjaguar]

I'm holding out hope for the Olympics at this point.

Tough call on that. I'm guessing they will be cancelled. Way too much risk.

 

[Gorbles]

Water polo!

. . . just kidding, nobody watches us play anyway.

 

[Farm Boy]

See, now the problem is you have water, which nobody watches, and polo, which nobody watches. Get the horses in there with you and I'd tune in at least once.

 

[Birdjaguar]

When do World Cup soccer teams begin their season?

 

[IglooDame]

Reading the thread title, my knee-jerk thought was "a thread about women's sports?" Which is sad, isn't it, because since the vast majority of spectators are heterosexual males (and stereotypical lesbian women) that would theoretically appreciate watching women athletes more than male ones, aside from perhaps hockey. Personally I'm a fan of cheerleaders as much as the players.

But I digress, probably painfully.

 

[MaryKB]

When do World Cup soccer teams begin their season?

The world cup was last year.

 

[Birdjaguar]

The world cup was last year.

But don't those teams play games every year even if it isn't for the WC?

 

[Leifmk]

I'm holding out hope for the Olympics at this point.

Given what the Olympics have evolved into, I'm kind of hoping the whole thing dies off.

 

[Farm Boy]

Wasn't it always beautiful people with a lifetime to devote to doing esoteric stuff? Biathlon and high diving alone make every two years at least a little amusing.

 

[Hrothbern]

But don't those teams play games every year even if it isn't for the WC?

next WC is in 2022
in 2020 there is a EC (Europe june-july)

 

[Leifmk]

But don't those teams play games every year even if it isn't for the WC?

As far as I can tell (and I don't follow sports at all, like, I have never seen a soccer game in my life) national teams are a permanent thing and each team plays several games against other national teams every year between March and November. Many of these games are part of some league, or qualification rounds for a championship, but not all of them.

(Typically the national teams consist of players who normally play on various normal teams; i.e. the national team is not their full-time job but a prestigious side gig.)

 

[Birdjaguar]

So there is no professional soccer play this spring? Huh.

xpost

 

[Leifmk]

Wasn't it always beautiful people with a lifetime to devote to doing esoteric stuff? Biathlon and high diving alone make every two years at least a little amusing.

I'm not thinking so much about the sport content as such, but more about how it's become a horribly expensive, corrupt, politicized show of force for questionable regimes.