If allowed would you attend an indoor sporting event (such as a WHL, NHL or NBA game) during the pandemic?
Leagues at the moment don’t have the luxury to play in front of a full house due to the coronavirus.
When the restrictions will change remains the multi-million dollar question.
What caught my attention this week were the findings of a Seton Hall Sports Poll conducted November 13-16.
Yes, the answers came from Americans but it seems logical to me that the results of the poll would be similar if B.C. residents/Canadians were asked the same questions.
After all, as North Americans, COVID-19 remains headline news on a daily basis no matter where you live.
NBA should pay heed as poll finds most won’t go to an indoor sporting event before vaccine https://t.co/Iv91f8O0ih
— SetonHall SportsPoll (@HallSportsPoll) November 18, 2020
1,506 American adults, geographically spread across the U.S., participated in the survey.
Here are some of the results.
Even masked, wearing personal protective equipment and socially distanced, two-thirds of the respondents or 67 per cent said they would NOT attend an indoor sporting event without the availability of a vaccine for COVID-19.
The Poll has a margin of error of +/- 3.2 per cent.
Only 21 per cent said they would attend an indoor sporting event, with 12 per cent saying they did not know or had no opinion.
In this most recent poll, 60 per cent of those who described themselves as sports fans said they would not attend indoor events.
“The recent news of vaccine breakthroughs has got to be enormously uplifting to those in the business of selling tickets, be it sports or entertainment,” said Professor Charles Grantham, Director of the Center for Sport Management within the Stillman School of Business, which oversees the Seton Hall Sports Poll. “Even though the percentages who would not attend have improved since the spring and the onset of the pandemic, these are just awful numbers to ponder.”
The survey also asked if fans in the stands (virtual or otherwise) make a difference? The respondents were nearly split down the middle.
In another question, the poll asked if this was an Asterisk Season in the NHL, NBA and MLB? In other words were the Tampa Bay Lightning, Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Dodgers “less deserving” than the champions of previous years. Only 1/4 to 1/3 of the respondents said yes.
You may find the complete sports poll results interesting and it can be found right here.
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The BCHL had hoped to start its season on December 1st but that date will likely have to be moved back after Dr Bonnie Henry announced new restrictions in her Thursday briefing.
Due to the increased restrictions announced by the PHO, the BCHL has cancelled all exhibition games this weekend.
We are seeking further clarification on how this affects us going forward and will provide an update as soon as possible.
Tonight’s game will be played as scheduled
— BC Hockey League (@GoBCHL) November 20, 2020
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Gregg Drinnan in Kamloops continues to do a superb job in his nightly updates on COVID-19 which include postponements or cancellations in sports. Here is the latest:
AJHL, QMJHL, PJHL teams have positives . . . B.C. leagues awaiting clarification on travel restrictions . . . USHL moves more games https://t.co/z9CS4op6cF
— Gregg Drinnan (@gdrinnan) November 20, 2020
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The best NFL game of the season will be hard to top.
The Buffalo Bills on Sunday took what appeared to be a commanding 30-26 lead over the Arizona Cardinals after they scored a touchdown with just 34 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
We learned never to count out Arizona second-year quarterback Kyler Murray as long as there is a mathematical chance.
Murray tossed a 43-yard touchdown pass to DeAndre Hopkins over a crowd of three Bills defenders with two seconds left to give the Cardinals the 32-30 victory.
Still thinking about 2019 #HeismanTrophy winner @K1‘s Hail Mary (*Murray) for the win Sunday, and thinking of some other great Hail Mary finishes from the Heisman fraternity. Here’s Murray’s ICYMI:https://t.co/BDbbwTbOfQ
— The Heisman Trophy (@HeismanTrophy) November 17, 2020
That unforgettable play has now been dubbed the “Hail Murray”,
It was the first “Hail Mary” completion in five years that directly led to a win at the end of a game for an NFL team.
If you are curious here is an unofficial list of successful and non-successful “Hail Mary” passes that either closed out a half or a game.
FROM THE QUOTE RACK:
Las Vegas Raiders now have 11 players on the reserve/COVID-19 list as they prepare to host Kansas City Chiefs Sunday. So what happens in Vegas stays off the field in Vegas?
*Comedy writer Janice Hough of Palo Alto, California www.leftcoastsportsbabe.com
This year’s Pro Bowl will be played virtually on Madden 2021. Programmers for the game are thus busy developing algorithms that include lethargy, leeriness of injury, and wishing to be anywhere but there.
*Contributor Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, California
The Houston Texans fired vice president of communications Amy Palcic, the first woman to run an NFL team’s PR department. New team motto: Make Bad Trades, Shoot The Messenger.
*Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times http://www.seattletimes.com/author/dwight-perry/
IN CASE, YOU MISSED IT
MLB suspended New York Mets 2B Robinson Canó for all of next season after his second failed drug test. This could leave the Mets up a creek without a paddle or a Canó.
*Canadian comedy writer RJ Currie www.Sportsdeke.com
Hartley Miller is the news and sports supervisor and morning news anchor for 94.3 the GOAT and Country 97.
He also is the 94.3 the Goat radio colour commentator for P.G. Cougars home games.
His column appears Fridays on myprincegeorgenow.com.
Send along a quote, note, or anecdote to [email protected]