COVID-19 climate creates conflicting sport sentiments
Optimism. Pessimism. Uncertainty.
One’s perception of the sporting universe during the COVID-19 pandemic period can change by the minute, or by the tweet.
OPTIMISM
The Western Hockey League on Wednesday announced its return-to-play protocol for the 2020-21 season.
The targeted regular-season faceoff is Oct. 2 but, as the league put it in a media release, “this date remains contingent on receiving the necessary approvals from government and health authorities in each of the six jurisdictions in WHL territory.”
The release also stated: “The WHL is committed to protecting the integrity of the WHL regular-season schedule, and fully intends to complete a full 68-game schedule for 2020-21, regardless of when the season begins.”
Some reassurance can be gleaned from the words above — along with some optimism in Prairie Football Conference circles that a semblance of a season is salvageable.
Golf Saskatchewan, meanwhile, rolled out its schedule of provincial championships on Wednesday. Eight individual champions will be crowned over the month of July.
Plus, the provincial government’s Re-open Saskatchewan plan allows for outdoor sports to begin and outdoor pools to open. All rejoice!
PESSIMISM
OK, let’s throw cold water on the merriment ...
“Regina city council agreed to keep its outdoor pools closed for the summer in late May,” Regina Leader-post reporter Lynn Giesbrecht
wrote on the weekend. “This is expected to save the city around $35,000 in opening costs and $415,000 in operating costs.
“Saskatoon city council, however, approved a plan on Thursday that could see outdoor pools open in as little as two weeks, depending on the date announced for Phase 4.
“The plan will see the rehiring of dozens of laid-off staff members and the reopening of dozens of facilities, including leisure centres, rinks and pools.”
On Wednesday, the City of Saskatoon announced that the Riversdale and George Ward pools are to open in early July. Plans for the other two outdoor pools (Lathey and Mayfair) have not yet been outlined.
If the City of Regina can afford to pay 10 employees salaries that range from $221,986 to $292,714, surely someone can (or should) find a comparatively modest $450,000 to allow citizens to enjoy outdoor pools for the better part of the summer.
Oh, and there’s this: U Sports announced June 8 that its fall sports — most notably football — have been cancelled.
The University of Alberta has gone one step further, suspending men’s and women’s hockey, basketball and volleyball for the entire 2020-21 campaign. Will this trigger a domino effect?
UNCERTAINTY
What’s up in the CFL? The blood pressure of some players’ association members, considering some acerbic comments that have been posted on (anti-) social media in recent days.
Players are becoming impatient. Who can blame them? League operatives are taking their sweet time rolling out any sort of a plan. The 2020 regular season was to have begun last week. Now, even the most wildly optimistic scenario calls for the commencement of the season in September — around the time that the City of Regina should ideally be closing its outdoor pools.