Organizations and leagues are beginning to take action
As the coronavirus is a growing concern for everyone, governments, airlines, cities and college campuses around the world are beginning to take precautions to curb the further spread of this disease. The spread of the virus is even starting to have an impact on the world of sports.
Sending groups of people around the country, and in some cases the world, and putting them in an arena packed full of people with the threat of a spreadable disease is being seen as dangerous. Because of this, many sporting organizations here in the United States and around the world are beginning to take any actions and remain as cautious as possible.
Currently, in the U.S., most of the major professional sporting leagues have given their input on the situation.
The NFL season is over and won’t have too much activity for quite some time other than the draft in April. However, spokesman Brian McCarthy claims the NFL is “closely monitoring” the situation.
The MLB season, on the other hand, is just starting to kick off. The league is now encouraging players to avoid signing autographs and limit contact with fans. Despite this, the league has not postponed or canceled any games yet.
Both the NHL and NBA are currently in mid-season, so the concern is urgent. The NHL has taken similar procedures to that of the MLB. On top of that, due to the recent spike in coronavirus cases in New York City, the New York Islanders closed their lockers to media access this past Saturday.
The NBA is considering taking more drastic measures though. The league sent a memo to teams that games may soon be played without any fans in attendance. Actions like this have been taken around the world.
In nations like South Korea, Japan, Iran and Italy soccer games are either played in empty stadiums, postponed or even canceled. In China, the epicenter of the virus, the soccer season simply has not started despite January generally marking the beginning of the season.
Another event that could be affected by the virus is the Olympics. The summer Olympics are in Tokyo in late July and early August. Rumors have come out that there is a chance that the Olympics could be postponed or even canceled.
Back in the states, one more pro league is being affected by the virus. News has surfaced that an employee who works at CenturyLink Stadium during the Seattle Dragon’s game in the XFL has been diagnosed with the coronavirus. With this being the league’s inaugural season, every person in attendance accounts. If enough XFL games would have to end up getting postponed or canceled, it’s possible that the league’s longevity could be at stake.