This archive report was first published on 18 May 2020.
On May 18, 2020, it was clear that Covid-19 would be a long-term reality, and we needed to adjust our lives to live with the disease.
As a result, spectator-filled stadiums, marathon races, and other sporting events where social distancing was impossible would become a thing of the past, at least for the foreseeable future.
The London Marathon, originally scheduled for April 26, was postponed to October 4, with organizers limiting the event to less than 100 elite runners.
While this move would deny thousands of amateur and charity runners the opportunity to participate, it would likely attract huge TV viewership and keep sponsors happy.
The English Premier League was also considering resuming play without fans, but its massive TV viewership of over four billion would likely ensure that sponsorship and revenue remained unaffected.
Back home, many sports federations were already struggling to attract fans and provide quality live feeds before the pandemic.
Given the new scenario of zero spectators at stadiums, what could they offer corporate sponsors?
Not to mention, a number of usual sponsors had taken huge financial hits, with some forced to lay off staff. Clearly, spending money on empty stadiums and limited TV would not be a priority for their business recovery strategies.
Without sponsorship funds and limited government funding, team sports would be hit hard in the short term, with elite athletes being our only hope to keep our flag flying when sports restart.
Former world javelin champion Julius Yego warned that while elite athletes could sustain training during this season, young and upcoming athletes might not have that privilege, meaning we might lose a whole generation of champions.
The government could create incentives for sponsors through tax policies, relaxation of regulations on betting and watershed, but this depended on local media providing quality live coverage.
