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| The Rush celebrate a goal in the NLL playoffs in 2018. |
The tears will continue to fall when you mention Saskatchewan Rush and Saskatoon Blades games knowing there were going to be playoff dates for both at the SaskTel Centre. The Blades could have potentially played their archrivals, the Prince Albert Raiders, in the WHL postseason which would have given those playoff home dates a huge attendance boost.
The business executives who would likely be shedding the tears are anyone who had a connection with the live event industry during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The live event industry has pretty much been hammered like the Death Star blowing up a planet in the fiction Star Wars movies.
As a result, there has been a campaign going where buildings used in the live event industry have been lighting themselves up in red lights to raise awareness of the plight of those that work the live event industry. It is a noble showing that should be applauded.
Just thinking about the Juno Awards themselves, business executives in Saskatoon have to envision the millions of dollars that were not spent in hotels, restaurants, transportation and people venturing out into retail spaces in “The Bridge City.”
When you think about 14,000 would have packed into the SaskTel Centre for the Junos on March 15 and most of those people were traveling in from out of town, you have a lot of outside money right there coming into the city.
Plus, you can’t forget the caterers and all those employed building the sets and various temporary structures that are used for an awards show like the Junos.
At the moment, the last two events held at the SaskTel Centre that drew big crowds were a Blades game on March 6 and a Rush game on March 7.
On March 6, 4,478 spectators turned out to see the Blades down the Regina Pats 2-1 in overtime and officially lock up a WHL playoff berth. On March 7, 11,632 spectators saw the Rush bomb the Vancouver Warriors 17-7.
Unfortunately, it could still be a lengthy stretch of time before gatherings like this happen again in Saskatchewan unless credible vaccine is produced for COVID-19.
In the reality of the current day, sports in Canada are actually a business, and that business relies on gate driven revenue.
In another reality, the sports world in Canada is largely perceived as a pastime. That comes from the fact that sports aren’t a big enough business in Canada.
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| The Blades and Portland Winterhawks go at it in 2019. |
From what I understand, the sports industry in Canada is likely worth 60 per cent of what it cost to build the new NFL stadium in Los Angeles.
We haven’t even got into the tens of billions of United States dollars the NFL, NBA, MLB, NASCAR Cup Series and NCAA football brings in on an annual basis.
There are a handful of fans in Canada that have argued sports are an essential service.
The COVID-19 pandemic has underlined how different the sports industry is in the United States compared to Canada. They aren’t even in the same realm, as the United States sports industry is way bigger than that of Canada.
With that noted, I have had the opportunity to work on a contract basis for a handful of companies that aren’t connected to the sports industry over the last six years. I’ve run into a lot of people that would laugh at the notion that sports in an essential service.
I have encountered my share of non-sports people who think sports people are crazy to be involved in sports.
In my estimate, I believe about 60 per cent of people in Canada have no connection to the sports world, and I suspect I am low balling that number. Governments see those types of things, and they are taken account when making decisions.
 |
| Fans pack Mosaic Stadium for a CFL game in August of 2019. |
In listing to member of the Canada’s federal government over the last few days, it sounds like it will be a long time before the sports and live event are able to hold events like normal. Watching the broadcast news on Canadian mainstream networks in recent days has been more downright depressing than normal over the past six months.
There are constant hints of a second shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Wednesday it is too likely Canadian families won’t be able to gather for Thanksgiving, but we have a shot at Christmas.
Those words don’t inspire confidence in life changing to be more normal any time soon.
In Saskatchewan, we did get a small taste of how quickly COVID-19 can spread. The Saskatchewan Health Ministry linked 21 cases of COVID-19 to a recent large social gathering of 47 people at a Saskatoon home.
Under provincial rules, the limit for private gatherings is 30 people provided there is enough space to maintain a two-metre separation between individuals who are not in the same household.
On Sept. 17, a fine of $2,000 was issued to the organizer of that social gathering.
With all that noted, I believe Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe and Dr. Saqib Shahab, who is Saskatchewan’s Chief Medical Health Officer, have been reasonable and outstanding in attempting to navigate a path through the pandemic.
 |
| Fans pack a U Sports hockey game at Merlis Belsher Place in Feb. |
The sport of golf was able to crown provincial champions. Success on those fronts does great some optimism other sports might be able to come into the mix.
With the Saskatchewan provincial election set for Oct. 26, it is realistic to believe you won’t see games in minor hockey before that date just to ensure that doesn’t become an election issue over any potential COVID-19 outbreaks.
There does seem to be bigger fears around indoor events.
Still, leagues like the WHL that cross over multiple regions will have the toughest task in coming back. It will take a lot of work to get the governments and healthy authorities in four provinces and two states to agree on a return to play.
That actually feels like an extremely enormous task, especially when it doesn’t seem likely the border between Canada and the United States will be opened for non-essential for many more months.
U Sports and the CJFL also face that tough task along with a professional circuit like the National Lacrosse League. While the NHL is back, there is no guarantee that circuit will get going with a 2020-21 campaign.
 |
| The U of Saskatchewan Huskies return to play is uncertain. |
It would be great if the sports world and the live event industry in Canada could return to normal right now.
Unfortunately, the realist can the road for the sports world and the live event industry in Canada will be a long hard one to recovery, and the countless good people that work in those setting should get as much sympathy as possible.
The future path for those people is likely more out of their control than any other walk of life in Canada at the moment.
Notre Dame football paused due to COVID-19,
other notes
On Tuesday,
the University of Notre Dame announced seven student athletes for the Fighting
Irish football team tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday out of a total of 94
players that were tested. The school has paused all football related activities
and the Fighting Irish’s game this coming Saturday against the Wake Forest
University Deacon Demons at Truist Field in Charlotte, North Carolina, has been
postponed.
On
Wednesday, that contest was rescheduled for Dec. 12.
This past
Saturday, the Fighting Irish bombed the University of South Florida Bulls 52-0
at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana in an AAC regular season game in
the top tier of NCAA football. That contest was played with limited in-person
attendance.
Notre Dame
at the moment won’t see action until Oct. 10, when they host the Florida State
University Seminoles at Notre Dame Stadium.
Overall,
Notre Dame said on Tuesday that 13 players were in isolation and 10 were in
quarantine with last’s weeks testing results combined with those of this week.
On
Wednesday, the Bulls paused football activities due to the positive test on the
Fighting Irish team. The Bulls were to travel to Boca Raton, Florida, this
coming Saturday for a regular season against Florida Atlantic University Owls of
Conference USA, but that contest has been postponed.
As of
Thursday, 21 NCAA top tier football games have been either postponed or
cancelled.
The
Fighting Irish have a national television contract that has seen all of their
home games televised on NBC dating back to 1991. Notre Dame is the only school
that has such a contract.
Even with a
storied history that is hard to match anywhere else in the sports world, the
Fighting Irish couldn’t prevent their season from experiencing disruptions due
to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Last Sunday, TSN’s John Lu announced on
Twitter he had been battling COVID-19 since being diagnosed on Sept. 6.
Traderumours.com did a story listing the majority of Lu’s tweets regarding
his COVID-19 diagnosis, and it can be round right here.
- On Tuesday, the 2021 National Aboriginal
Hockey Championships slated for May 1 to 9, 2021 have been cancelled due
to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- On Tuesday, organizers of the prestigious
Mac’s AAA Hockey Tournament announced this year’s event has been cancelled
due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Mac’s takes place annually from Dec. 26
to Jan. 1 in Calgary.
- On Tuesday, the NCAA announced Division I
athletes who normally play sports in the fall will get to compete for a championship
in spring of 2021. The fall sports that get to play in the spring of 2021
include men’s and women’s cross-country running, men’s and women’s soccer,
field hockey, women’s volleyball, men’s water polo and the Football
Championship Subdivision. The Football Championship Subdivision is the
second highest tier of NCAA football.
- On Wednesday, U Sports’ Canada West
Conference announced football receiver Don Blair as the first inductee for
the Canada West Hall of Fame’s class of 2020-21. Blair played for the
University of Calgary Dinos from 1992 to 1995 and helped them win the
Vanier Cup as U Sports champions in 1995. In 1995, Blair had 1,112 yards
receiving and caught 15 touchdown passes in the Dinos eight regular season
games. Both totals are still Canada West Conference regular season
records. Blair played eight seasons in the CFL from 1996 to 2003 with the
Edmonton Football Club, the British Columbia Lions and the Calgary
Stampeders. He was a member of the Lions Grey Cup championship team in
2000. Before joining the Dinos, Blair played one season in 1991 with the
Regina Rams, when they were still members of the CJFL.
- On Thursday, the Pac-12 Conference voted to hold an abbreviated fall football season beginning on Nov. 6. The conference had voted last month to not play due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All teams are slated to play six regular season games, and they are all slated to finish the season playing on a championship weekend. The Pac-12 plays in the top tier of NCAA football.
- On Thursday, the Mountain West Conference announced it will play an abbreviated football season beginning on Oct. 24. The intent is hoped each team will play eight games. The decision is subject to approval from state, county and local officials. Back on August 10, the Mountain West Conference had indefinitely postponed all fall sports. The Mountain West Conference plays out of the top tier of NCAA football.
- On Thursday, the Regina Community
Basketball League announced its fall programming had been cancelled due to
time constraints created by difficulties in renting facilities.
- On Thursday, the Regina High School
Athletic Association announced there will be no games played between
schools this fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This decision effects the
sports of cross-country running, football, soccer and volleyball. All
RHSAA schools will be allowed to coordinate extra-curricular athletics,
practices or intramurals within their own respective institutions.
- On Thursday, Rod Pedersen, who hosts The
Rod Pedersen Show naturally, dropped a truth bomb. For some it will sting,
but it is the truth. Check out the tweet below.
Think you’re irreplaceable? 🤔 Unfortunately, think again ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/uwDQrv7roS
— The Rod Pedersen Show (@RodPedersenShow) September 24, 2020
If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.
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