Covid-19 took the world by surprise, forcing changes left and right. Every industry was affected. While some sectors, such as delivery services, flourished, others are facing a more challenging time.
The world of sports and sporting events is in turmoil, with crowds becoming a risky move in 2020. Already the world has seen unprecedented changes, and these changes will likely have a lasting impact.
Marbella International University Centre put it best when they used the 2020 Olympics as an example. For the first time in history, humanity saw the Olympics moved back by an entire year.
Short Term Impact
Thanks to the global pandemic, many mass entertainment venues were forced to postpone or cancel events. With the cancellation of live sporting events came several short-term problems.
Matters were admittedly made more difficult by the requirement that all non-essential travel come to an end, at least in the short term.
Cash flow became hit crisis levels across the industry, and in many instances, it will take more than just a few months to recover. First, ticket and broadcast sales were down, putting a strain on centers. Employees were furloughed. Even athletes found themselves unemployed.
Long Term Impact
Covid-19 changed the way the world looks at significant events. Due to this, there are many questions about how live events should be handled in the future. Operating models are likely to see changes as organizations struggle to adapt to the public’s safety concerns and demands.
We’ve gotten used to seeing a reduction in live entertainment events thanks to Covid-19, but it’s hard to picture this becoming our new normal. However, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post saw reason to be concerned with the current trend.
He noticed that there was less interest in sports as a whole – not just on a professional level but also for children and fans. This leaves concerns about a possible future decline in popularity.
What Happens Next
The simple truth is this: we don’t know. While the world has faced pandemics before, it has never faced something quite like Covid-19. It’s going to take a long time to recover from the level of destruction it created and even longer for people to settle down again. This means that it will be difficult to picture what long-term changes will be in place, especially for any specific industry.
One thing is certain; every industry out there is working to adapt. The sports industry is no exception. Teams, organizations, and centers will create new and viable connections with fans and audiences, even if that means adapting to the times.