With most Americans home-bound for the foreseeable future, many are eager for the return of professional sports — at the very least, so they don’t have to keep watching ESPN’s low-res coverage of NBA stars playing Horse.
On Tuesday, NBC Sports Boston reporter Trenni Kusnierek called in to Boston Public Radio to explain how various sports leagues are adapting to the new normal of the coronavirus pandemic.
"At the end of the day, there is money at stake and there are livelihoods at stake. … And I do really believe that a lot of these [team] owners do sort of also see [reopening] as ‘Hey, a lot of people are clamoring for something to watch,’” Kusnierek said.
For Major League Baseball, Kusnierek said officials are considering "instead of having the American League and the National League, teams will play… [from the] spring training stadium in Florida, which would significantly limit travel."
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In terms of the National Basketball Association, she said officials are preparing to host games in Las Vegas in a “contained environment,” though she admitted that “details are still pending.”
And for football fans, Kusnierek said the NFL is “still holding out hope that by the time we get to September, it’s gonna be fine and they’re gonna be able to pack stadiums and play football games.” She conceded, though, that it was unlikely fans will be allowed to return to stadiums in the fall.
“Listen, is it going to be great? Are sports without fans good? No!” she said. “Until we get a handle on this … whatever our gateway to life, somewhat resembling normalcy again [is], we’re gonna have to make concessions. And I think fans at sporting events will be a concession."
