Lindsay Hofford knows that COVID-19 has had a dramatic effect on all aspects of the sports industry, and It's still in control, unfortunately. Because there is no alternative, we are learning to live with the virus. As the pandemic drags on, it seems to be a turning point for American society and its impact on the sports world.
Lindsay offers some examples of how these changes will hold up.
College athletics:
Over the past decade, colleges have increased spending in major conferences, especially football and the SEC, Lindsay Hofford explains.
More successful programs tend to make more and spend more. This causes supporters and boosters to push their universities to be equally serious about winning. What did the result look like? Blank checks and mounting worries - even before a pandemic.
League schedule changes.
The 2020 postseasons of the NBA and NHL could continue well into the autumn, which would naturally delay the 2020-21 season. It is unlikely that it will return once this happens. Lindsay Hofford says that the Seasons will likely start in the winter holiday, with playoffs continuing into the summer.
Increase the virtual space
This new reality won't be going away. Teams have seen how convenient and productive virtual meetings can be, just like many other businesses over the past months.
Despite the fact that there were few prospect visits, college coaches continued to recruit. The NFL teams offered an offseason program to rookies without ever visiting facilities. The NFL even conducted an entire draft in this manner. Virtual media interviews have been used by many pro and college teams. This could be done without spending time on traffic or gas money.
Stadium capacity
Lindsay mentions that the sports world has seen a decline in attendance. This is a worrying trend. Although fans will eventually return to sporting events in person, it won't be any less enjoyable watching online, especially for those younger than the average who have stopped attending.
Lindsay Hofford is the Director of Hockey for the prestigious Pro Hockey Development Group in Vaughan, Ontario, sees all of these becoming the new norm for post-COVID19 athletics, in particular on the amateur level.
One day, we will be able to come out of this and rediscover normalcy. Sooner or later, fans will make their way to live events. However, watching your favorite team from the comfort of your home certainly will be even more on the rise after the pandemic, in particular for younger generations that had already stopped attending games.
Sources
Lindsay Hofford
Lindsay Hofford
Visit us on social media:
