Coronavirus Crisis and Sports: March 27, 2020
While the coronavirus pandemic is already taking a toll on sports in general, it may be particularly problematic for women's professional leagues, especially those that are just beginning to build some momentum.
The NWSL was supposed to kick off its season with a nationally televised game on CBS. It was going to be billed as a showdown between USWNT teammates Megan Rapinoe and Rose Lavelle.
Then the coronavirus pandemic struck, canceling the game and delaying the season.
The cancelations of games and delays of seasons are not only affecting men's sports, but women's sports and in a way that might be more difficult to bounce back from.
SI's Jenny Vrentas shares her thoughts on the global pandemic affecting the world of women's sports
Golf
The latest Coronavirus + Sports podcast deals with golf trying to figure out how to rescheduling PGA Major Tournaments.
After postponing the Masters and the PGA Championship, will the U.S. Open be the next major golf tournament to fall? @RyanAsselta joins @lmechegaray to discuss
College Sports
In case you missed it, the NCAA Board of Governors voted to allot $225 million to member schools, a 62.5% decrease from the expected $600 million, for the 2019-20 academic year. The shortfall is attributable to the cancellation of the NCAA’s biggest money maker, the men’s basketball tournament, plus all other canceled championships in winter and spring sports. SI's Pat Forde called it the first financial effects of the coronavirus pandemic on college sports.
Meanwhile, the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame announced the promotion of Kimberly Beaudin to Chief Executive Officer. Beaudin previously held the position of Senior Vice President of Marketing and Sales.
The Lighter Side
• Ok, this is just ridiculous (we don't condone this, but will certainly laugh along):
• Peyton Manning crashed an on-line class at Tennessee:
• Here's what happens when an NHL player doesn't wash the dishes.
• Umm ... we're not sure what to make of this ...
Also of note:
• The NFL quarterbacks are all riding out the social distancing period together in Southern California.
• The nation-wide sports hiatus is bad news for the one company that rents all those enormous American flags.
• Summertime NBA basketball might be the thing of the future.
Bonus
Sports Illustrated did a special collaboration with 60 Minutes for today's Daily Cover story, about how for African players, chasing hoop dreams can be a risky proposition
As more and more players cross the Atlantic to find stardom in the NBA, unscrupulous coaches and brokers are descending on — and in some cases, trafficking — unsuspecting teens with big aspirations.
