This year has been a difficult one for many sports. Those running the sport have had to be innovative and creative in order to deliver something; some have managed to do this well, others have struggled. One thing that many followers of sport as well as players have had plenty of time to do, is reflect.
Recently sitting with friends there was was a lot of reflection taking place as for various reasons everyone’s sporting year had been disrupted. As the conversation turned to whether many of the leagues should have continued their competitions to a conclusion, or simply abandoned them for 2020, there was a strong feeling that in many countries professional sport behind closed doors should not be continuing.
Sure, there is plenty of money tied up in sport with broadcasters, sponsors and the like. Then there are simply thousands of jobs linked to sport, so the reasons why these competitions have gone ahead is understandable.
The reason often being put forward is that by playing they are helping the mental health of their fans. This is a little less easy to swallow.
As one person said if the professionals are allowed to play behind closed doors why are they not allowed to play amateur sport in many countries. Why is golf not allowed or singles tennis? Something simply doesn’t seem right.
Then the question was asked which competitions that started at the beginning of the year were still going with no conclusion?
The 2020 F1 Season had a delayed start. It did not get underway until July with the Austrian Grand Prix and will finish in December in Abu Dhabi. So the start was delayed, but the season had not actually started when the Pandemic hit.
Football tournaments across the globe were put on hold and many completed after a period of lockdown, but behind closed doors. Tennis, saw many of the major tournaments cancelled and then towards the end of the year tournaments played, but again behind closed doors. Professional golf returned in June but again without fans walking the courses. Table Tennis, Rugby, Moto GP, Cycling, Baseball and many other sports cancelled events.
The losses financially are predicted to be huge. In the USA the combined losses to the NBA, NHL, MLB, NFL and MLS is said to be USD$5.5Billion. The English Premier League losses are estimated at being USD$1.35Billion. The Tokyo Olympic Games postponement is predicted as being above USD$6Billion. So one can see why sports are hell bent on continuing.
The one sport that is still pushing ahead looking to complete a League that started before the Coronavirus Pandemic is Hockey, and their one year old elite competition the FIH Pro League. No other competitions could be found that had started before the pandemic and was still continuing. The International Hockey Federation announced in April that the 2021 League season will now be completed in May 2020. With the Opening Games of the 2021 competition having been played on 18th January, this means that at best the competition will run for 17 months. From start to finish it will run for 503 days.
Not The Footy Show felt sure that this must be some sort of World Record, of Shizo Kanakuri proportions. (Inspirational Athletes 22). So we contacted the Guinness Book of World Records. Their response was as follows: “we are currently unable to locate a record under the details provided in your email. As we are unable to locate a record with the details provided, this may mean that the record does not exist currently as a Guinness World Records title, or, due to the age of record, that it may have only featured in the older editions of the Guinness World Records books and is no longer monitored by us.”
In July 2017 the FIH unveiled the name of this new Global competition and revealed, “The name was selected as it captured the entertainment-focused nature of the League. Using the word ‘Pro’, this highly positive and upbeat message indicates it will feature the very best in the sport – ‘the pros’. It is also indicative of the increased professionalism that fans will start to see coming into the League.” Insiders claim that it was simply one name put forward by a Marketing Agency.
Despite the explanation at the time there remained much conjecture over the ‘Pro’ in the FIH Pro League, as very few of the players – despite being totally committed – are professional athletes, in other words they could not survive on their earnings from hockey alone.
While many positive suggestions were that during its inception the ‘Pro’ stood for PROject or PROspect, now it is up and running others have a different view. In terms of generating income PROcure, PROfit, and PROmotion seem appropriate. While in terms of growing the game through coverage and publicity possibly PROmise, PROpitious, PROfuse, PROpagate, PROpel and PROsper all spring to mind. Yet now with the length of time it is going to take to complete Season 2 maybe PROtracted or PROlonged are more appropriate!
At least in these times with little to celebrate it would appear that the League will find itself in the Guinness Book of World Records, and that is something to be PROud of.
Maybe a little.
My personal view Andrew is that it was launched without having everything in place. In other words sponsors on board and the costs to each competing nation being evaluated and a way to offset those costs worked out. I also believe that there needed to be more conversations with the various domestic competitions so that they were only minimally impacted. After all club hockey feeds the International game, so we must look after that area.
What was the marketing budget? Without a substantial marketing budget and a campaign running at least three months before the first game it was always going be hard work.
I think that the standard of hockey has in the main been excellent and the players can hold their heads up high as they have delivered.
As I wrote a while back this format of competition was pitched to Cricket and Rugby and both knocked it back as they could not see how they could make it viable. Did those who made the decision to go down this path do their due diligence? How was hockey going to make it succeed where two other sports could not see how it would succeed?
I think it has shown how good the product is, how exciting the game can be and how remarkable the athletes are, but has it been a success in taking the game to the next level, making the players professionals and bringing in much needed sponsorship?
However this is only the second year and not the ideal time to have a Pandemic.
Ultimately I hope that you are wrong, although I do believe the format needs re-thinking. You need games every week to keep people interested and in touch with the competition. Having Season 3 spread from September 2021 to June 22 I personally believe is a mistake, but we will see. Hopefully I am wrong
Do you really think that is harsh?
Clever but harsh Andrew.
How about PROphylactic? The way it has screwed the game and delivered nothing.