Coronavirus and Sports

The Bundesliga made a much-anticipated return to action, playing games in empty stadiums and adjusting logistics off the field to account for social distancing between coaches and players on the sidelines. The response was generally positive from fans and industry professionals, and now the league has soccer audiences around the world to itself. What can other top tier football leagues, like the Premier League in England or La Liga in Spain, learn from the Bundesliga's return to action? And with few other options for live sports entertainment, can the Bundesliga capitalize on its captive audience? Soccer commentator Keith Costigan breaks down a pivotal moment in the effort to bring back sports from the coronavirus shutdown.

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MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred had already announced plans to reduce the number of affiliated minor league teams prior to the outbreak of coronavirus. With the pandemic grinding all sports to a halt, minor league baseball finds itself in an even more precarious situation. Sports Illustrated senior editor Jason Schwartz breaks down SI's Daily Cover on what comes next for minor league teams and the communities they help bind together.

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A summer without Little League baseball would be unfathomable most years. But for the first time in its 73-year history, the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania has been canceled, leaving the status of leagues everywhere in question. Sports Illustrated baseball writer Matthew Martell breaks down the complications that ultimately led to the demise of the 2020 Little League World Series, and the ripple effects of the decision on amateur baseball across the country and around the world.

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ESPN's "The Last Dance" has helped fill the sports void as the coronavirus shutdown enters its third month, opening the door for other high-end documentary productions to take the spotlight as well. Los Angeles Lakers point guard Quinn Cook discusses his involvement in "Basketball County: In The Water," a new Showtime documentary produced by Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman that pays homage to Prince George's County, a small county in Maryland producing more pro basketball talent than anywhere else in the country. Quinn shares what it means to make a film honoring his hometown and the people who make it special.

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Prior to coronavirus, the gambling industry was preparing for a banner year as various states had begun the process of legalizing sports betting. Now the sports gambling world can only wait and hope for the NFL, NBA, Premier League and other major professional sports organizations to return to action. Sports Illustrated senior writer Greg Bishop returns to the show to discuss what gamblers are doing in the short term to get their fix, how Vegas may actually stand to benefit when sports returns, and how sports gambling could be a solution for states looking to rebound financially after the pandemic.

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