Sports Bosses Are Part of Government's Reopening Advisory Panel. Really.
Apparently one of the side effects of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic is a skewed rearranging of priorities.
The latest panel being convened by Donald Trump includes most every commissioner of every major sport in the country, a group that is being brought together to advise the government on how to reopen the country.
Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred, Roger Goodell of the NFL, Adam Silver of the NBA and NHL head honcho Gary Bettman are among those whose advice is being sought as the White House tries to engineer a quick rebooting of a currently quarantined country.
I find it something just this side of nuts that sports, which is after all just an entertainment, would have much of a voice in this particular chat. Having baseball back is something to be much desired, but not at the expense of the public health.
Major League Baseball should come back when it’s safe for opening day to go ahead. The NBA and NHL should resume when and if lives won’t be put on the line by having players compete. And that decision would be best made by qualified medical professionals and not by the heads of large conglomerates who are bleeding money.
Hey, we’re all bleeding money.
Maybe we should have seen this coming. Last week WWE, whose boss, Vince McMahon, is part of the new advisory committee and whose wife, Linda, served in the Trump government from 2017-19, was deemed an “essential service” in the state of Florida.
It’s probably just a coincidence that one of wrestling’s big days, Wrestlemania, took place without fans in late March in Florida when all other sports were shut down. It was broadcast April 4-5.
If Wrestlemania is essential, is a midweek series in an empty Coliseum between the A’s and the Angels any less essential?
Word is that having wrestling being declared an essential business could smooth the path for other sports to return to Florida.
Here’s the problem: Professional sports are a major part of the American experience, but they are not essential. And having the men (and one woman) in charge of these sports help shape governmental opinion and policy instead of having them adhere to procedures set down by those who know best about public health isn’t helpful.
For what it’s worth, here’s the full list of the sporting types being asked to take part in addition to Manfred, Silver, Goodell, Bettman and McMahon: UFC President Dana White, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, LPGA Commissioner Michael Whan, USTA Chairman Patrick Galbraith, MLS Commissioner Don Garber, NASCA Vice Chairperson Lesa Kennedy, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
Just for the record, I’m pretty sure none of them is a specialist in public health or immunology.
Follow Athletics insider John Hickey on Twitter: @JHickey3
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