Defiant leagues
While most sports take a wait-and-see approach, several prominent competitions around the globe are planning to return sooner rather than later.
At last, a ray of light at the end of the tunnel for deprived sports fans. While we are still a long way off from the professional sports calendar returning to normal, over the past two weeks a handful of professional competitions around the globe have firmed up plans to get back up and running.
Germany’s top-flight football league, leading mixed martial arts promotion, UFC, and the NRL were among those to announce return dates, while the Premier League – one of the most popular competitions in the world – is working towards a resumption early next month. The wait goes on from a local point of view, but a move to Covid-19 level two could open the door for some form of Super Rugby and the ANZ Netball Premiership to get under way.
It should be noted that a return for the sports mentioned (listed in chronological order) is dependent on government approval and access to medical support, with the prospect of fans attending slim to none. But with a bit of luck, there’s enough to suggest that the days of watching replays and (for the truly desperate) e-sports are, if not coming to an end, at least diminishing.
Mixed Martial Arts
UFC president Dana White had vowed to be the first major sport in the US to return and, despite a few setbacks along the way, he seems on track to deliver. The
MMA promotion has announced plans to hold three cards in the space of a week in Florida on May 9, 13 and 16.
Efforts to hold an event on tribal land in California last month were scrapped when state officials expressed concern to the UFC’s broadcaster, ESPN. However, the promotion has found an opening in Florida, where pro sports with a national audience have been added to the list of essential services.
The events will be held behind closed doors in Jacksonville, but despite assurances from White around safety, there have been few details about the protocols in place. White is also pressing forward with plans to hold bouts on a private island outside the US for international fighters, but again has provided no details.
Motorsport
Similar to the UFC, Nascar is ready to make up for lost time after announcing seven events over 11 days from May 17.
The revised schedule includes a pair of midweek races, although it only goes through May, with a tentative schedule planned for June and beyond.
The US series’ announcement came a few days after Formula One chief executive Chase Carey said he was ‘‘increasingly confident’’ of getting the green light for a rearranged season of 15-18 races.
Beginning with the Austrian Grand Prix on July 5, the plan is to hold races across Europe through September before moving to Asia and the Americas in October and November. The season would then conclude the following month with two races in the Middle East.
Football
Ligue 1 became the first major European football league to cancel its season this week following an order from the French government, prompting fears those in Italy and Spain could follow suit. However, other leagues on the continent are pressing ahead with plans to resume behind closed doors.
Germany’s Bundesliga had pencilled in an ambitious restart date of May 9, although that has been delayed after the German government postponed its decision until this week. The league is still hopeful it can return before the end of May.
Facing losses of more than $2 billion if the season cannot be completed, the Premier League has ramped up plans to resume under what has been dubbed ‘Project Restart’. The aim is to restart the campaign after June 8 in neutral