Pitch Memo
Wow, have things changed so rapidly. The pandemic is spurring so many stories around the world in every aspect, but I’ve kept my eyes on the world of sports.
Throughout the last couple of months, I’ve briefly heard about the virus through the news and the University. I’m a fan of the Minnesota Wild, and this was the first time I started to pay attention to what would become the current pandemic. The Wild were taking their California road-trip when Santa Clara County released a statement that “mass gatherings & large community events where large numbers of people are within arm’s length of one another,” should be canceled or postponed. Within minutes, the National Hockey League and the San Jose Sharks came back with a statement that they would play on.
But, here’s where the domino effect of everything getting canceled started. Last Wednesday, the Oklahoma Thunder and Utah Jazz game was postponed because Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19. Nobody knew what was happening in the arena, and the game was immediately postponed. Later that night, the NBA announced that they would be suspending the rest of the season.
But prior to this, the NCAA announced that winter tournaments would be played without fans. They would later change their decision to cancel winter tournaments and the spring seasons.
Through this, I would be interested in learning about the rules and thoughts that some of these sports organizations — such as the NCAA — have in place. From what I have known from getting my feet wet in this business, the NCAA and their tournaments are very strict compared to looking at the sports world as a whole.
Here’s some of the data that can show what effects canceling these events could have: https://www.si.com/college/2020/03/13/ncaa-cancels-march-madness-money-revenue
From this, I’ve brewed up a couple of angles for a story of COVID-19 and College Sports:
UMD men’s hockey angles:
- Looking at the angle from an athlete whose season was cut short. These athletes only get four years and for the seniors who came back to play another season, it’s heartbreaking. It’s not like a team lost in
- Looking at from the fans’ point-of-view — without a fanbase — there isn’t a program. These fans do everything to get to the game or to watch it on television.
- Another story could be those who work at Amsoil Arena at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center. There have been stories of professional teams who have made statements to help their arena workers through this time as games aren’t going on.
UMD basketball angle:
- There is also UMD women’s basketball who set to play in an NCAA tournament regional game the day after the news broke. There hasn
- Finally, March Madness is very popular. But it draws away attention from other NCAA sports. Why does the “big dance” get the attention of everyone?
Informational Interview
- Austin Rush — NCHC Staff Member
Q: “The NCHC canceled their tournament last Thursday at noon, which would proceed the NCAA’s decision to cancel all winter tournaments and spring sports. What are your thoughts on canceling the tournament(s)?”
A: “Does it suck? Big time. Was it something that needed to happen? Absolutely. This is something that a lot of people had never had to deal with before the magnitude of something this big.”
Q: “What’s the biggest difference between college hockey and March Madness?”
Q: “The gambling aspect. Basketball not only makes a ton of money for the NCAA but is also for Las Vegas. It’s the sheer ability it has to just make an abundance of cash for a month's worth of games.”
In addition, I could possibly connect with some of the athletes who have been impacted by this. Or, talk to those who cover UMD really well, such as the Duluth News Tribune or Fox 21 Sports.
Data
The data that could be used in my story is why should these events big events be canceled and how that can help stop the spread. Sporting events were one of the first things to come to a halt.
Solution
A solution to the problem is that NCAA has given waivers to those who play spring sports to give them another year of eligibility as their season was canceled. But, for those in the winter, it’s still in limbo if they will ever put the Bulldog jersey on again.
