Sports fans of all varieties are patiently waiting for their favorite leagues to return to normal post-COVID-19. Some leagues are starting up again, but others may still have months or even years to go. Fortunately,
Sports fans of all varieties are patiently waiting for their favorite leagues to return to normal post-COVID-19. Some leagues are starting up again, but others may still have months or even years to go.
Fortunately, there’s no shortage of ways you can kill time and relish in your favorite sports while the industry figures out how to move forward.
How to Spend Your Time While Waiting for Your Favorite Sport
These are just some of the ways you can spend your time while waiting for your favorite sport to return:
· Start a countdown. If there’s a tentative date set for the return of your favorite sport, you can start a countdown—which is even more effective if you have a custom calendar printed with your favorite sports stars and historic moments. In the days leading up to the opening game, you can have mini celebrations, and plan a small party for the big day.
· Rewatch old games. One of the best ways to scratch that sports fan itch is to rewatch some of your favorite old games. Channels like ESPN Classic frequently play important historical matchups, and you can find clips or full games of your favorite sports on platforms like YouTube. Even if you already know the outcome, seeing some of the best highlights of the game as they unfolded naturally can fill you with both excitement and nostalgia. You may even catch small moves you never noticed before.
· Practice in the backyard. If you love playing the sport in addition to watching it, but you don’t currently have access to a functioning league, you can set up an area to practice in your backyard (or in an open public area). Depending on which sport you’re playing, this may require some setup; for example, you may be able to practice juggling a soccer ball, but if you want to practice basketball, you’ll need to set up a hoop.
· Get involved on a forum. One of the best parts of being a sports fan is getting to talk to like-minded fans—and even fans from opposing factions and rival cities. Thankfully, the pandemic hasn’t stopped these conversations from unfolding; you just have to look somewhere other than a bar or arena to find them. Join an online forum centered on your favorite sport, or one that follows your favorite team. You’ll be able to create an account, make new posts, and engage with other people in the comments section.
· Find a new sport. If your current favorite sport isn’t currently active, this could be a perfect time to scope out a different sport. There are only a few traditional sports currently playing live games, so if those aren’t your cup of tea, you might have to branch out and consider something that deviates further from the norm. For example, while there’s significant debate as to whether esports “count” as sports, esports are growing in popularity, and they have the same competitive tension and team dynamics as traditional sports.
· Play a sports video game. Speaking of esports and video games, if you want to either witness or get involved in a sports-like environment, you could start playing a sports video game. There’s an impressive modern video game for almost every possible sport, with intuitive controls and a challenging yet approachable difficulty curve. Experiment for yourself or watch current players online to see which ones might appeal to you.
· Start creating content. If you want to talk about sports and engage with your community, you can also consider creating your own content. For example, you could start a podcast where you talk about some of the greatest matches in history, or you could launch a blog that explains how to get into your favorite sport for interested newcomers.
The Future of Sports
It’s hard to predict the long-term future of sporting events when the COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing. However, there are some positive signs of development in the near future. There are many tentative dates set for the return of popular sports, but these may be set back even further—or may be associated with deviations from the normal approach to playing and broadcasting the games.
Major League Soccer in the United States, for example, returned July 8, and the MLB opening day is scheduled for July 24. The NBA may return July 30, and NFL opening day is currently set for September 10. Other sports, including the NHL, still have no future date set, and some major sporting events, including the Tokyo Olympics, are still up in the air.
Keep watching the news, as these dates may change. In the meantime, try to enjoy your favorite sports however you can, while maintaining healthy social distancing.