When the world is in turmoil, sports have often been the place to find a sense of normalcy and social cohesion. When a disaster strikes, sports are always there as an agent of healing.
On Wednesday, March 11, the NBA season was indefinitely suspended due to a player who tested positive for coronavirus, and the threat of the virus as a whole. When the NBA shut down, the rest of the U.S. seemed to shut down with it. What was once a busy month of NCAA March Madness, NBA Playoffs and the MLB opening day is now marked by quarantine and social distancing.
Routines and traditions that dictate normalcy are nowhere to be found. The NBA playoffs are the last thing on most people’s minds, but when everything settles down, they will be at the forefront. Sports can play a defining role in any nation’s rebuild and return; when the contagion is contained, people will look for these traditions to help bring back a sense of normalcy.
In recent U.S. history, sports have played monumental roles in raising morale. Our country has been through trying times before, with 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina standing out as horrific events that shaped and affected millions.
The nation stopped on 9/11, and returning back to normal life was a difficult task. In October of 2001, only 49 days after the attack, President George W. Bush threw out the first pitch for the third game of the World Series, when the Yankees played against the Arizona Diamondbacks. While the Yankees didn’t win the championship, they still became a symbol of strength for the people of New York and the nation as a whole. For many, the President’s pitch was the first sign that healing could begin to take place.
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans Saints had to wait an entire year before they could play at home again because of damage to the stadium. In September of 2006, almost a year after the storm, their first game back in the Superdome was played against the rival Atlanta Falcons. The Saints went on to have their best season in franchise history at the time, ending with an NFC Championship appearance.
The real value of that season wasn’t the hanging banner, but what the moral victory meant for a city and state that had been through so much loss. The Saints provided hope.
The coronavirus pandemic has not caused anywhere near the devastation of these disasters, but it has caused plenty of harm and fear. The world is in crisis; the suspension of sports shows that the nation is still under threat. With the return of sports, things will begin to look up.
If the playoffs continue in the early summer or late spring, then fans may get to watch the best playoffs in recent history. Giving the best professional athletes in the world this much time off to rest and recover will make for an exceptional roster of superstars who have had more time to prepare for the playoffs than ever before. Employees and businesses dependent on the NBA teams will be financially stable, and fans will be excited to get back to their scheduled program. More importantly, everyone will be happy to know things are going back to normal.
If the playoffs are postponed until the fall, or canceled altogether, it would be a disaster. The players would start to become rusty, as they would be off of the court for months. A long delay for the NBA means that thousands of workers and businesses would be left without their largest source of income, and the cities that host these teams would also be hurt. Besides damages done to potential and pocketbooks, a long-term delay of the NBA and sports as a whole would hurt the morale of the nation.
COVID-19 has changed lives more than most would’ve ever imagined. This trying time will strain humanity and place an immense financial and emotional burden on millions around the world. A silver lining and light at the end of the tunnel will be the NBA Playoffs.
It might be weeks or months, but when sports come back, they will help change the world for the better. A crisis defined by isolation and quarantine will eventually see an end marked by celebrations, crowds and community. The social connections forged and represented through sports are often unmatched, and this role will be all the more important when people need to start connecting again.
Life is uncertain and tomorrow is never promised, but it will be a beautiful day when sports return, starting with the NBA.
Cory Koch is a 20-year-old political science senior from Alexandria, Louisiana.
