Like many others, sports is a large part of my life — a lot of my time is devoted to following live events (in person, on television/radio or online), watching and reading commentary and review of events and going outside for a run. In the past 25 years, I don't think I went more than a week without watching a live sporting event or listening/reading to in-game commentary of a live event. Thanks to the current Wuhan coronavirus outbreak, the sporting world has grinded to a halt.
Sporting events are natural crowd magnets, with large crowds gathering to watch the event either at the stadium itself, at bars and restaurants or at people's homes. With measures limiting crowd size being enforced everywhere, live events has to take place without spectators. Even then, people other than athletes (referees, coaches, broadcasters, medical staff, stadium workers) have to be present on site for a sporting event to occur. With so many people in close contact for hours, there is a high potential of people (unknowingly) infecting others. So stopping sporting events becomes the only option.
Without live sporting events, sports networks used talk shows, classic events and documentaries to fill the schedule. The problem with more talk shows is that, without actual events, the same viewpoints would be expressed more frequently. On the other hand, there is no shortage of classic matches to choose from, with the only issue being picture quality — you can't expect matches recorded decades ago to be shown in high definition. Documentaries offer viewers a behind-the-scenes look of "legendary" teams, athletes and events which fascinated fans (particular those of certain age). (The statement makes me feel old, but I can no longer deny that I am not young anymore.)
While talk shows, classic events and documentaries can somewhat satisfy sport fans' appetite for sports, they are no replacement for live events. So sporting networks have resorted to broadcast video game equivalent of sporting events, with current and former athletes playing as themselves against each other and esport stars. This works best for (auto or bicycle) racing, since racers can play while riding in specially designed vehicles, and racquet sports (tennis, badminton for example). For other sports, the technology is not advanced enough for esports simulation to feel the same as the actual game.
With the pandemic appearing to be easing at some countries (Germany for example), sporting leagues there will resume soon to complete the current season. Some countries, meanwhile, have banned large public events (including sporting events) in the near future, which results in leagues declaring the current season to end and the current ranking declared final. Some leagues even consider voiding the current season, acting as if it never occurred. One can understand why such decisions are made, given that no one knows when the current season can be completed, but a league should complete the current season, no matter how long it takes, if it is at least two-thirds complete and delay the start of next season. (While I am a fan of Liverpool FC, the runaway leader of the English Premier League, I would hold the same opinion if I weren't.)
With large number of runners, officials, volunteers and supporters gathering in close range, marathons are potential hotbeds of disease outbreaks. As a result long-distance running events everywhere are either cancelled or postponed. (The same applies for open sporting events which allow the general public to enter.) Even after the outbreak subsides, people entering long-distance running events would likely need to show medical proof that they are disease free or they would be turned away before reaching the starting line. Given that, large scale running events may not return until a vaccine is available. I guess I have settle with running against myself (in transparent form perhaps) in virtual races in the near future.
Sports will return to our lives eventually. The question is whether it will be in a different form?