Search for a safety net
In March, the first of the major events in the professional world tour announced the postponement of their event, and led to its cancellation. With more regions in the world being engulfed with Corona threat, this had a domino effect on the tour and local calendar of all countries. Nations went into a shut down. Social distancing and sports events do not go together.
Professionals cannot survive without events and sporting events are for spectators and enthusiasts. An exhibition format is designed and being executed. In this format only points (rallies) are played, each set is given a time slot, like boxing. At the end of the time period the player with most amount of rallies won is declared to be the winner of the set. It is four sets and a sudden death tie break. Not challenging and glamourous as the full fledge tennis, but these are difficult times.
Safety Net failed
Novak Djokovic on his own initiative conducted an exhibition format event in his home grounds. The Adria tour in two countries. On court the two players and an umpire were seen on the TV screen. At the court side, only the two coaches and managers were visible. It looked very restrictive to the viewer and gave the sense that every precaution recommended were in place. To the surprise of many, Bulgarian player Grigor Dimitrov was tested positive for corona just before the finals and the event was cancelled. Few days later Borna Coric, Djokovic’s coach former world’s number one Goran Ivanisevic, Viktor Troichi and his pregnant wife and Novak Djokovic were tested positive. The safety net has failed.
The Adria tour was conducted in a very controlled environment. Players did not shake hands, only racquet head tap was allowed at the end of the match. With all that players and others were tested positive. Now what? Cyber game? Who knows? European summer tennis is wiped out and one can say with all certainty North and South Americas will not indulge in tennis events. That makes 2020 tennis/sports season cannot be staged.
Management in challenging times
TRAVEL: A major issue for tennis events, it is unavoidable. Right now who will be willing to get into plane which has sealed cabin? It can be airline big jet or private plane. (The movie ‘Cassandra crossing’ crosses one’s mind) People in events management will have to get by the next two years under this situation. They will have to relentlessly search for the safety net to move players around the globe.
STADIUMS: The next challenge are the mega stadiums. In the last three decades, stadiums were built to accommodate as much as one hundred thousand people around the globe. Keeping them shut is the only option available right now. They are being turned into make shift hospitals to accommodate the corona victims at present. Big as they are, even this does not seem to be enough to cover the maintenance cost.
PLAYER: Top end players have been in the circuit for a while and I hope they were prudent enough to save. Unfortunately, sportsmen are not good money managers. We all know big names in tennis who have declared bankruptcy.
This being so what is the fate of players in the 200 to 900 of the world ranking? For the management of professional players this will be a daunting challenge. So far nothing has been announced to look after this segment.
TOP 500 AND LOCAL PLAYERS: Roger Federer and Kevin Anderson have been rallying for support for the players in the top five hundred of the ranking. Their suggestion was to increase prize money level for the feed-in events. In this situation we are in now, it is not option at all. This too will have to be kept-in-view by the management globally and locally. If these players are not supported, when the events open up eventually, they are going to be unattractive to the spectators.
INDUSTRIES: Sports is a catalyst for many manufacturing industries. Sports management relies on the manufacturers’ sponsorship for events. Most of the manufacturing sponsorship comes to an event as advertisement. This income will stop being available to events. Industries themselves will face many issues. Worldwide the frightening word ‘recession’ is being used liberally.
KEEPING SPORTS ALIVE: Of all the challenges that affect the people most will be the participatory prospect. During the shutdown only activities permitted were within the four walls of the home. It was ok but only for a couple of weeks. When the shutdown went into months, it began to tell on the people.
ACCUSATION AND DEFENCE: This virus is not a ball game and we are not in a ball park. Corona is a threat to humanity. Whatever we did, did help even to restrict it to the extent we have achieved.
What we have to realise is the Corona surprised us. If there is any possibility of anything going wrong it will: Murphy’s law. No country had their mechanics in place to fight. Sports arena is a probable place for the virus to spread. Unfortunately this is true. As sportsmen, this is not the time to brand what is not right, who did wrong and the numbers revealed are right or not. Corona is not a ball game where scores matter and the world is not a ball park, that’s all we have for a home!
George Paldano, Int. competition player; Accredited Coach of German Tennis Federation; National coach Brunei, Sri Lanka, Davis-Cup & Federation-Cup.geodano2015@gmail.com