Sports in the Time of COVID
Why the games are a comforting presence, even though they look different
The first thing that hits you when you turn on a sporting event in 2020 is that everything is different. MLB and NBA games are taking place in front of empty stadiums, and the NFL will also play for fewer people than normal once it gets started this week. Sports are often touted as an escape from the stress of everyday life, but at this particular moment they also serve as a stark reminder of how different things are this year.
And yet, when I watch baseball or basketball, I find that these games have most of the same appeal that they did in 2019 or earlier. I find this especially true for the NBA, where slick production and a high level of play remind us how good these players are. Even though the games are played in front of empty stands, in many ways they’re just as much fun as they were before.
It’s worth remembering that sports are different right now because everything is different right now. This is a subject I’ve written a little on before, but my own reminders of how much COVID-19 has changed the world are nothing compared to what you’ll find on the front of every major news publication. In many ways, turning on a baseball game — as different as the sport is this year — might be the most normal part of our lives at the moment.
Over the last few nights, I’ve watched a few truly memorable NBA playoff games. The second-round series between the Boston Celtics and the Toronto Raptors has been particularly enjoyable, especially this last second game winner from O.G. Anunoby. The shot was incredible live, but it becomes even more monumental the more you think about it. Toronto would have been down 3–0, but now they’ve evened the series at 2–2 after another impressive win on Saturday.
I watched a lot of Raptors games last year too as they plowed through the Milwaukee Bucks and then the Golden State Warriors in the final rounds. So even though they aren’t on my favorite team, players like Kyle Lowry and Pascal Siakam are familiar faces. Watching them battle another really good team in Boston has been a breath of fresh air.
Other have commented on this with more detail and a better-informed perspective than I can, but the efforts of the NBA to finish this season at all were truly extraordinary. The players and coaches have done an amazing job of staying ready — the games I’ve watched look like competitions of savvy veterans picking up right where they left off. The league didn’t play any games from mid March to late July. To come back this strong is pretty incredible.
MLB may not have fared quite as well this year. The extended labor dispute left a bitter taste in my mouth, one that’s lingered even through the joy of baseball actually being played this summer. With a hilariously short season being played, and concern on the horizon about the next CBA, there are plenty of reasons for baseball fans to be on edge. But even here, the comfort of having live baseball games to watch is considerable.
Sports don’t solve society’s problems and they also aren’t more important than those problems. But I can’t deny that it’s wonderful to have them back.
The views expressed are mine alone and do not represent the views of my employer or any other person or organization.
