Will the 2020 NFL season be canceled due to COVID19?

Originally posted by tjd808185:

Originally posted by English:

Well, it's a theory. How about, as an alternative theory, that the government and the NFL between them get the season going before a vaccine is developed and several of the best players contract and die of the virus. And as a result the NFL gets sued into oblivion. I would imagine the NFL's lawyers are giving this possibility some serious consideration, wouldn't you?

And I don't see how the NFL can operate with distancing requirements.

Regarding stopping society for 18 months for a vaccine, I am not sure how you can be so dogmatic. The current scientific discussion over here is speculating that the immunity as a result of contracting the virus may be very short lived, although they are hoping that immunity as a result of vaccine might last longer. Might. Nobody knows any of the answers for sure right now. So consider the possibility that, if society is not stopped for 18 months awaiting a vaccine, the virus could stop society.

The chance that a professional athlete at 20-30 years old with extreme testing in place to identify and treat anyone with the disease as soon as possible is going to die from a disease that largely feasts on senior citizens with other health issues is a risk leagues will be willing to take because It's next to nothing odds.

I'd say the bigger concern they're going to deal with on a player concern is asking them to stay away from their families as well as a players catching the disease then having to be quarantined during the season but those are issues they will be willing to fight thru.

Well, I have said my piece and I am not going to just argue. For the record, though, two points:

1. I hope you are right.

2. Your assessment of "next to nothing odds" remains to be seen. Again, I hope you are right. Scientific opinion, though, seems to have doubts.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's Covid-19 technical lead, said: 'We are seeing more and more younger people who are experiencing severe disease."

Originally posted by English:

Well, I have said my piece and I am not going to just argue. For the record, though, two points:

1. I hope you are right.

2. Your assessment of "next to nothing odds" remains to be seen. Again, I hope you are right. Scientific opinion, though, seems to have doubts.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's Covid-19 technical lead, said: 'We are seeing more and more younger people who are experiencing severe disease."

It's also America were large segments of our young are dangerously unhealthy with poor to no healthcare. It's well documented that obesity and covid is a bad mesh. Here we're talking about athletes surrounded by world class healthcare.

Doesn't look good for all sports in 2020.

lol forget about sports period for this year. just not happening.

Originally posted by pasodoc9er:
It is true that we are 5 months out yet, so it does seem strange to even think about a shutdown. My guess would be we are starting on the downside of the bell shaped curve and are entering the later stages of Covid 19, taking NY and NYC in particular into consideration. But consider they are noting a decr in # of new patients coming into hospital , while the # of deaths last 3 days has increased to average 777/day. That brings their total deaths to about 7800 and change, which just reflects large # of pts on respirators with around a 50% mortality rate. Only 3000 people died on 9/11.

So let's assume NYC numbers come down and then go way down, with # of dead stacking up, (they have a prodigious # of pts on respirators), and say NYC is semi back to normal come first week in Sept. I wonder how the survivor fans feel about going back to the ball park to root on their teams, the Jets and Giants? If you lived in NYC would you do that?

An even more interesting question is once it is safe to return to restaurants and to sit down for dinner, how many people in NYC are going to be anxious to do that? Bottom line question is , even if the Covid threat is basically done, how many folks are going to be willing to brave the crowds, the closeness of people being the main reason NYC got so destroyed by virus to begin with? Add to that the tens of millions who have lost their jobs , and are a lot more worried about how to put food on the table than watching a stupid football game.

Sure, many of us can't wait for the team to return to the field, but we have to acknowledge that there are a lot of other folks out there with a lot more deep seeded concerns, ie, just getting by. The nation will come back. But the route to return to normalcy will not look like it did just 5 short months ago. I think it possible that pro sports generally will be a lot further down the "must do" chain than we have seen previously .

Add to that the physical nearness of folks beside you, behind you and in front of you, with the possibility the Covid has another run at us in the fall when it cools off in the US, and it isn't hard to imagine a lot of ballparks being semi empty of fans. Add that to the financial hardships many families will be going thru, and you have the makings of a sports world turned upside down.

What would that look like here? Well, I assume virtually all our fans in the ball park are not owners of software companies in Silicon Valley. Some sure, not all. How will that affect fans returning to ball parks? What if we do have a phase 2 Covid bout?

The problem with seeing full ballparks out there once the virus issue is under control, is the # of unknowns, things nobody has even thot about plus the downsides, and some of which are noted above. I'm lousy at betting, but wouldn't be surprised to see the gestalt of NFL football a drastically changed game/ experience when one considers all aspects of it. The economy could just snap right back...but i doubt it. The logistics associated with that is mind numbing. The behavior of us, citizens and fans, will definitely have been changed. And that includes fans at the ball park too.

An optimist would say, "Phooey. I'm going to the ball park regardless". I just think we are in for a rough road ahead and "normal" won't be what it once was.

How would sports look different? IDK, but i can see it. As Nancy Pelosi once famously said, "you'll have to read the bill once we pass it , to understand it" . That is kinda what it feels like. I will be ecstatic...but surprised ...if we are playing ball come Sept. It sure would be good for the American psyche, not to mention every other sports crazy country in the world.

you summed my feelings up nicely. really complicated to think about

I hear talk of having games with no fans but as someone stated, what happens if one or two players test positive. Then they have to shut things down again. I doubt that the leagues want to go through that uncertainty. The other problem is getting every state to agree to allow the teams to play. California, New York and Washington would likely not be willing to allow sports until the virus has all but vanished or a vaccine is ready. That's 6 teams that wouldn't be allowed to play. You also have the college problem. Without a vaccine it's unlikely that classes will start up again and that would mean no NCAA football. Then what happens to the 2021 draft?

I would say yes. But if they have plans to keep everyone safe and without fans, I may say no. But always safety first!

So the Rams put out a notice right away that they would refund season ticket holders pro-rata for all games not played. Jed? Not a word.

Originally posted by Niners_D:
So the Rams put out a notice right away that they would refund season ticket holders pro-rata for all games not played. Jed? Not a word.

Nobody is going to get scammed. Relax dude.

Originally posted by Fanaticofnfl:

Originally posted by Niners_D:
So the Rams put out a notice right away that they would refund season ticket holders pro-rata for all games not played. Jed? Not a word.

Nobody is going to get scammed. Relax dude.

Just follows the pattern of PR boondoggles is all I'm saying.

Originally posted by Niners_D:

Originally posted by Fanaticofnfl:

Originally posted by Niners_D:
So the Rams put out a notice right away that they would refund season ticket holders pro-rata for all games not played. Jed? Not a word.

Nobody is going to get scammed. Relax dude.

Just follows the pattern of PR boondoggles is all I'm saying.

Yeah man. Screw winning! Telling your team's fans about refunds before any other team is where the REAL W's are at!

Every other seat (or two seats) capacity. Masks are mandatory. Fans sign a (covid) waiver

WILL we see a DRAFT LOTTERY next year if the 2020 season is cancelled ??

THE TREVOR LOTTERY !!

I wonder what Cincy would do if they end up winning the 2021 Trevor Lottery a year after drafting Joe Burrow !!

I can't imagine football and basketball with no fans. It would be so weird to watch

I have a friend thats a production coordinator for music venues and she told me today that she's hearing from venues she works with that they are considering canceling events until the end of the year due to uncertainty's in rescheduling and also a presumed rise in cases in the fall. Sucks, i hope they get a vaccine soon.