COMMENTARY

Maybe never again. “I think we’re going to be looking at a cultural shift in sports,” Bass said, comparing it to the security-minded changes that affected all walks of life after the 2001 terrorist attacks. “There are kids today who don’t know we didn’t used to get frisked going into a ballpark. So many things changed in the culture of sports after 9-11.”

The most visible change that everyone can expect as sports returns is the lack of people in the seats. About the closest thing we’re going to get is those cardboard cutouts of fans that were placed in the stands by the Korean Baseball Organization.

The UFC is planning three mixedmartial-arts cards this month at an empty arena in Jacksonville, Florida, the first of those on Saturday night in what essentially serves as the reopening day of human-centric U.S. sports (sorry, horse racing and bull riding).

It’s not ideal by any means — an indoor sport requiring brutal, hand-tohand combat — but UCF leader Dana White has been pushing for weeks to get his gladiators back in the octagon (remember Fight Island?), so everyone will be watching to see how it all turns out.

“We are going out there and do our best and keep sports alive,” said Tony Ferguson, who will fight Justin Gaethje in the co-main event for the

UFC interim lightweight title. “This is going to bring a sense of normalcy to people.

While NASCAR plans to resume its Cup season with four races this month, other U.S. sports are taking a more cautious approach.

There’s still no indication when Major League Baseball will begin its season, or what form that might take. Ditto for the NBA and NHL, which still hope to finish their seasons or at least find a way to crown their respective champions.

MLS has a bit more flexibility, since it can take its barely started season right up until the end of the calendar year, but the individual workouts that a few teams began Wednesday were merely a tantalizing snippet.