Live sports have returned! We’ve had golf and racing, and now we’ve seen some MLB scrimmages as well. Here’s what to expect in what should be an action-packed week.
MLB Opening Day
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Yay! It’s almost here. For a while, the ongoing negotiations between the players and owners made it seem like Major League Baseball may not return this year. It’s scheduled to return this Friday for the Houston Astros and the rest of the league, while the Yankees and Nationals get things started on Thursday. The built-in crowd noise is weird (I witnessed it at Minute Maid Park) and I know fans will miss being at the ballpark. But, America’s past time is back. Play ball!
High school and college sports making tough decisions
Several conferences have already said their college football teams will only play conference games, and some have canceled fall sports completely. High Schools around the entire country are going to make similar calls. I wish I could be optimistic about this one, but we’ll see. This week will determine a lot for young men and women who love sports and are vying for their senior year to get a scholarship.
NFL rookies report to camp... but what happens next week?
The Houston Texans and the Kansas City Chiefs rookies report today (Monday), and reports say it’s mostly a day of COVID-19 testing, orientation, etc. Several players (JJ Watt, Deshaun Watson, Patrick Mahomes, Drew Brees, and more) have expressed safety concerns on social media. Players are saying they’ve had no real guidance on safety measures and what to expect. What do we know? The NFL is meeting, and hopefully, some of this will be resolved.
What to Watch
In my opinion? How well baseball goes over will determine so much. Will the number of positive tests stay low? Will people enjoy watching at home because they’re so starved for sports? I even think about how it will impact local businesses — with fans not allowed in Minute Maid Park (and bars closed) how will restaurants be affected?
We will see, and stick with Channel 2 for those answers.