By Ved Trivedi
The entire world has been shaken from the effects of the pandemic, and Americans’ everyday lives have drastically changed. From jobs to simple things such as shopping, everyone has been affected. One enterprise has taken a major hit from the pandemic: the 160 billion dollar industry of sports. Without spectators attending, the entire industry has changed.
Source by Saanvi Mirchandani
The empty bleachers of the NHP Memorial's football field mirror the empty stadiums of professional sports.
The sports industry has lost billions of dollars since the beginning of the pandemic. Due to social distancing and rising cases, many arenas have taken precautionary measures such as closing down the stands or reducing the number of spectators. Because of this, the industry has taken up a financial burden. Without spectators purchasing tickets, frequenting arenas, and buying from gift shops, the arenas are losing money every day. Some NFL teams such as the Dolphins have opted to reopen but limit the arena capacity. In an attempt to reestablish a source of entertainment, they may cause a surge of coronavirus cases.
The events of the pandemic have also affected the workers. With less money to spare, arenas have been cutting down on the number of employees, causing a massive job loss within the industry. This in turn adds to the increasing unemployment rate in America. Without thriving businesses and arenas, the entertainment industry has lost a great deal financially.
On the other hand, the loss of spectators has greatly affected athletes and how their team plays. The NBA shut down after a player had been infected. To restart the league, they moved to Orlando where the top teams competed for the championship. However, many people had this question in mind: what kind of competitive sport lacks an animated crowd that supports their team until the end of the game, clapping and cheering on to lead their team to victory?
“They better put some boos in for us if we're doing badly,” said 76ers star Ben Simmons.
“The fans encourage the athletes to compete even harder when it seems as though all hope is lost...”
It can be argued that the fans are the motivation for these stars. They create an environment where players feel energized even when they have been playing for hours. The fans encourage the athletes to compete even harder when it seems as though all hope is lost.
“Without spectators, the athletes are being affected the most. They lose a sense of motivation when there's no crowd cheering them on,” said senior Luis Toral.
Senior Daniyal Azeem loved going to basketball games and watching his favorite team, the New York Knicks. However, even when he is watching the NBA at home, it doesn't feel the same.
“The atmosphere in an arena is like none other. Watching the fans all come together to rally their team is an experience that can not be emulated by virtual fans,” said Azeem.
The lack of spectators in arenas has caused financial trouble for the entire sports industry. Without fans, athletes in different sports are less motivated, which can make the games a lackluster experience. Fans within NHP have felt that without fans, sporting events do not feel the same.