The NHL pauses the 2019-20 season. pic.twitter.com/bCi776ZFqX
— NHL (@NHL) March 12, 2020
No one knows exactly when or how the NHL will return. The COVID-19 coronavirus gets to decide when/how professional sports will return. On Thursday, the NHL, MLS, and MLB took action to clear the field and ice to re-evaluate depending on the spread of COVID-19 in North America.
This isn't just about sports. Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, wife of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, tested positive for COVID-19 last night. The prime minister remains in isolation.
Some NHL thoughts to note:
- While fans are hopeful for more regular season games, there is virtually no chance that will happen. Having 16 or 18 or 12 teams reduces the impact on markets of non-playoff teams. San Jose and Santa Clara County won't have to worry about the Sharks playing a game.
- Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, and Winnipeg would qualify for the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs under the current format. Vancouver would literally lose out on one fewer regulation win vs. Nashville. Elliotte Friedman speculated on a playoff format of adding the teams that were close to making the playoffs. We applaud that idea. Fans of the 1981 Cincinnati Reds would have wanted that as well. Whatever playoff plans are made, the NHL will base them on safety and the need to make money.
- No more regular season games would also mean no NHL Center Ice free preview and no Canadian commercials to feature. Your humble narrator might miss that more than the hockey.
- The NHL looks to be creative in terms of the playoffs and definitely wants to award the Stanley Cup this year.
- The NHL players by comparison don't come in contact with each other as much as the NBA and MLS, for example. The exception is when players fight. Would be nice if fighting stops for awhile when the NHL returns.
- Don't assume the logical dates of the end of the season on April 4 and the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs starting April 8. Arena availability will be a factor for both NBA and NHL teams with their playoffs. If other events such as concerts get postponed, arena availability might open up. The leagues will also have a sense of which teams are in the playoffs and can plan accordingly.
- CBC has had a bit of practice with lockouts on how to program time without the NHL. Some of the online-only programming on CBC Gem could get some TV time. There are a lot of awesome Canadian films to broadcast. The CBC could even bring back The Filmmakers series and rebroadcast the episodes and films. CBC needs to fill Saturdays through April 4 and daily starting April 8.
How COVID-19 is impacting Canadian sports
How Toronto recovered from the SARS impact
Looking back at the impact of The Filmmakers on CBC
NHL the month in preview March 2020
CanadianCrossing.com NHL coverage
Statement from Major League Baseball: pic.twitter.com/0bWS5VTRPu
— MLB (@MLB) March 12, 2020
MLB stopping its spring training means an uncertain fate for Opening Day. The earliest possible starting date would be April 9 but don't even write that down in pencil.
The Toronto Blue Jays stay in Dunedin, Florida has come to a close, though players may stay to work out. The traditional trip to Olympic Stadium in Montréal is done. Even with a slim possibility of exhibition games to tune up for the season, a Montréal trip is likely not viable.
Rogers Sportsnet didn't produce any of the previous spring training telecasts, saving a few pennies by carrying the broadcast of the opposing team.
There would seemingly be a MLB Extra Innings free preview with Canadian ads, though the NHL Center Ice preview produces more interesting Canadian commercials.
CanadianCrossing.com MLB coverage
Canadian ads from fall 2019 NHL Center Ice free preview
Canadian political ads from fall 2019 NHL Center Ice free preview
CanadianCrossing.com advertising coverage
Major League Soccer Suspends Season for 30 Days pic.twitter.com/P0HEPmsnkx
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 12, 2020
2020 MLS preview
The 2020 Major League Soccer season had barely started. Toronto FC and the Montréal Impact are 1-0-1 while the Vancouver Whitecaps are 1-1-0.
The 30-day impact was a bit of a surprise in that soccer is outdoors and better ventilated than basketball and hockey. Then again, soccer players collide often with each other in a way that baseball does not.
The timing will throw off the CTV schedule of early-season games. The CTV debut was scheduled to be tomorrow in Toronto. We will be curious if CTV still carries a significant MLS package when the MLS season resumes.
photo credit: TSN.ca
Twitter captures: @NHL; @MLB; @MLS
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