Will the fans return?

How supporters respond when the gates reopen after Covid-19 is anyone’s guess

WHEN North American sports leagues return to action after the coronavirus crisis, questions are sure to linger over whether the fans will be willing, or have the resources, to pack stadiums as they once did, sports analysts have said.

The pandemic caught the sports world by surprise but after the NBA suspended its season on March 11, leagues around the world followed suit, culminating in the unprecedented postponement of the 2020 Olympic Games for a year.

How fans respond when the gates reopen – and it’s anyone’s guess how long that will be – depends on how this unique crisis is perceived, experts said.

After the leagues halted play following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, sports fans, many fueled by a new sense of patriotism, surged back into the stands.

The 1948 Olympics in London were pared down but still a success as fans celebrated the first Games in 12 years following the end of

World War II.

But the coronavirus is a different kind of crisis, one where the patriotic thing to do right now is stay home and fans may not be so eager to sit next to strangers again so quickly.

One problem is the very nature of live sports can contribute to the pandemic. For instance, a Champions League football match in Milan in February between Atalanta and Valencia likely helped fuel the spread of the virus in hard-hit Italy.

“In the past we’ve celebrated sports as a great return to normal,” said Victor Matheson, a specialist in sports economics.

“I think it will be a much more muted atmosphere (this time) because you’re going to be looking at that person in the seat next to you,” he said.

“That will be problematic until we get an all clear.

“That first game back, I think will be a little bit nervous.”

On the other hand, the pent-up passion of fans to cheer on their favorite teams could win out, said Bob Dorfman, a sports marketing pundit.

“Absence makes the heart grow fonder and, assuming the world returns to some semblance of normalcy, I expect fans to have a greater appreciation of sports than ever before,” he said.

“Attending live events will take on extra significance, the enthusiasm and fervor in stadiums and areas will be more intense, the passion for favorite teams and players heightened.”

But live sports is already facing competition from the rapidly improving home viewing experience and the coronavirus pandemic could hasten the move from the coliseum to the couch, Matheson added.

“I think we’ll continue this trend of moving away from the live venues and towards the home theater,” he said. – Reuters