he world is in turmoil because of the Coronavirus and you know things are really serious when all major sporting events have been canceled too.
Many people probably imagined that they could stay at home and help to reduce the problem by staying there quite easily enough, but that’s really tough when you realize there is no sports to watch on the TV.
Which sports have been affected?
Absolutely every sport has been affected by the Coronavirus pandemic. The NBA was one of the first major organizations to officially shut down after Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz was diagnosed with the virus, followed by another 6 NBA players to date. The NBA’s decision to shut down since has been followed by everybody else in recent days.
In the US
Basketball
The NBA season was postponed relatively quickly and it was recently announced that the start of the Major League Baseball season has also been suspended indefinitely.
Football
The NFL is in off-season anyway, but this is still a period of great activity for the NFL. The Combine took place and the Draft will too, but this year there will be no spectators in attendance.
At least the NFL is doing its best to keep people’s minds occupied with some sports news. The start of the free agency has seen some major moves take place. None more so than Tom Brady’s time with The Patriots coming to an end and the future Hall of Famer signing to play his last years in the league with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Golf
For golf lovers, one of the biggest tournaments of the year was canceled one day into the event and the biggest event of the year, The Masters, has been moved back to October. Alternatively, golf enthusiasts can also opt in joining a local country club to kill the boredom as well.
Soccer
Soccer lovers also saw the MLS season postponed. And NHL fans will be kept away from the ice for a while.
In Europe
Soccer
The business end of the year in men’s soccer was just getting underway across all of Europe’s major leagues. Spain, France, Germany, and Italy are all in lockdown, with no football expected to be played until mid-April at the very earliest.
The UK is not currently under full lockdown, but the Premier League is also suspended for at least the next month.
The Champions League may now be altered to a different format when football does recommence, and the European Championships which was due to take place all across Europe this summer has been moved back to 2021.
Other Sports
Ruby’s Six Nations, the major cycling tours, athletics, horse racing; all major sporting events in Europe have been put on ice for the foreseeable future, with some most likely to be completely wiped off the calendar for this year.
The Rest of the World
Motorsport – Formula 1
The first Formula 1 race of the year in Australia was canceled at the last minute. And a UFC card went ahead in Brazil without any fans, although Dan White insists the mega-fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson will sill go ahead next month. Where or how has still to be confirmed.
2020 Olympics
The Tokyo 2020 Olympics also look in serious peril as the world struggles to come to terms with these very strange times.
A Great Time to be Netflix
“AMID FEARS OVER A GLOBAL ECONOMIC SLOWDOWN FROM THE WIDENING CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK, COMPANIES LIKE NETFLIX THAT PROVIDE IN-HOME SERVICES ARE BEST POSITIONED TO WITHSTAND THE STORM OR EVEN SEE UPSIDE FROM THE CRISIS”Variety Reporting on Netflix at the End of Feb 2020
The Coronavirus has sent tens of millions to their sofas. Luckily for them, Netflix is there to welcome them with open arms.
The streaming giant has seen numbers spike massively in the areas where social distancing has been most forcefully put into place. Italy saw a 100% increase in app downloads, with Spain seeing a 50% surge.
New subscriber numbers have also rocketed in France, South Korea, and Japan.
Eerily, some of the Netflix shows which have seen the highest viewing figures in the last couple of weeks have been those which are about pandemics.
Netflix understands the power it has in these unusual days and the company has been helping people overcome some social distancing anxieties by allowing for Netflix Parties.
Viewers who also use Google Chrome can download the Netflix Party extension and simultaneously view their favorite Netflix shows at the same time as their friends.
Stay safe and happy viewing!
