May 30, 2020 – ORLANDO, Fla. –
2020 has proven to be a test of patience for every sports fan. The COVID-19 pandemic forced all known sports leagues to shut down or cancel their seasons. Even if your favorite team was doing well, at this point, it does not matter. There was no closure to so many incredible stories nationwide, and this has left us feeling empty, doubtful, and curious to what may have been.
Recently, we’re starting to see leagues promise there will be a new season of sports as soon as possible. We heard the UPSL will restart their season beginning Saturday, June 20, and within a weak, the FBA announced they will return this fall. Albeit some changes in season expectations and crowd sizes, this is a massive benefit for semi-professional leagues and its players, staff and fans. Obviously, with games to be played, athletes and staff will be getting money coming in, but what are the benefits for sport spectators, who now risk not being able to be in attendance to watch live games for most, or all of the season?
In short, it gives us hope.
Hope that hard work and dedication towards your craft won’t be cut short. Hope that one can find role models as inspiration during a time of great despair. Hope that semi pro leagues can still exist and profit, so that low-income families won’t have to break the bank to attend an exhilarating sporting event. Hope in our young athletes that they can turn any negative situation into a positive one, and bounce back from major downfalls. Hope for families who have lost a loved one due to the virus, in a form of friendly competition and camaraderie. And hope that our favorite teams and players who were performing well can pick back up where they left off and, hopefully, pull out the championship.
Some things to note: moving forward, every league and team will need to provide us with some of that hope, and that comes in the form of safety precautions. The FBA and UPSL have announced that more safety precautions are forthcoming prior to the start of their regular seasons, as well as a modified schedule for teams and no fans in the audience for the foreseeable future. We as spectators of the games also need to be provided the tools to stay engaged even when we can’t participate in live events. This means communication provided to fans must be significantly increased, social media must be more geared towards fans, and opportunities to experience even more behind-the-scenes must be available. The teams who retain the most fans will be the ones who can find a way to be the most accessible to their fanbase, despite not seeing them in the crowds. This will also be an important test to see how much a team’s fanbase is important to them. The teams that go out of their way to provide more and different opportunities for those who follow them will come out on top after this pandemic. The ones who act selflessly and appreciative of the fans who have stuck by them show why the love of sports goes beyond winning the physical battles.
We will soon find out which of these semi-pro teams will be a step above the rest for those who are sticking by their side.
