We are nearing the resumption of live sporting events in North America. Unfortunately due to the pandemic, these events will not be played in front of live crowds. For those who love sport, the compromised version will be better than nothing. Talk show hosts will finally have something to talk about besides speculation or recollection.
I am looking forward to NHL hockey (my favorite league), NBA basketball, MLB baseball, and MLB soccer (football). To be honest, it will feel strange watching basketball and hockey during the summer.
Since there will be no fans in attendance, I suppose the leagues’ main source of revenue will be the television and advertising deals. The leagues will be competing for television viewers. Normally hockey and basketball would be over by now and we would be well into the baseball season. Now people who fancy all three will have to make time for them.
The NHL and NBA seasons start and end around simular dates. My tradition has been to watch NHL games throughout the entire season plus playoffs. I would watch NBA games sporadically until the playoffs. During both hockey and basketball playoffs, I would split my time evenly… if the Toronto Raptors are involved. If not, I will spend the time watching NHL playoffs until the finals. I like to watch the finals of both leagues.
Now that we are in a lockdown, well not so much a lockdown as it was, but a restricted life, the return of sport will bring some much-needed entertainment to our lives. There are only so many movies and television shows one can watch. Sport is an entirely different ballgame, yes pun intended.
To fight boredom, I had planned to get more involved in baseball statistics. Now that baseball will be on along with the other sports, that might be a challenge. I think I will watch the four leagues but analyse statistics for NHL and MLB. I always analyse NHL statistics but will add baseball to the list. Baseball is slow-paced compared to hockey, basketball, or soccer. Basball does appear to track more statistics and looks to be a lot of fun for us nerdy types who love numbers and statistical analysis.
Bars in this province are restricted to limited patio seating only. Under this arrangement, I will not be watching sport at the bars this season. During normal times, watching sports is the one event where everybody talks and mingles with everybody else at the bars in this city. There is loud, excited chatter, hugs, handshakes, etc. In no way can we do those things while a pandemic is raging on. I will watch the games at home on my big screen TV, sipping beer, and eating home-cooked food.