After a very dry spell due to the global pandemic, sports are back in the swing of things. A lot has changed since the world slowed down and it was obvious they couldn’t go back to “normal.” Each of the “Big 4” in sports (football, basketball, baseball and hockey) have or will be implementing plans to bring sports back to the public but they also have to navigate the rise in social engagement for players. While no plan was ever going to be perfect, some leagues have done a good job of executing their vision for their seasons. Others have done well in one area but have dropped the ball in others. And then there is a league currently in shambles and in danger of have a washed season. Let’s take a closer look at the Big 4 and how they have done.

A moment of quick transparency: I didn’t think sports should have made this quick return that seemed hasty and impulsive decision. The pandemic itself was always a concern, with numbers fluctuating in so many different areas across the United States. Add in the surge of the social justice movement amidst the deaths of figures such as George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, leaving the players wondering if their time and effort wouldn’t be better spent focusing on that. As much as we all want sports back, some things are bigger than sports and I would have understood if that meant some of the better players chose not to return to finish the season.

“As much as we all want sports back, some things are bigger than sports”

Photo credit: David Sherman | NBAE via Getty Images

Basketball (NBA + WNBA)

With that said, both the NBA and WNBA have done a really good job of implementing a strategy that protects players as best as they can and allowing opportunities to focus on social justice. What is now being referred to as “The Bubble,” both leagues have effectively set up an area that gives players a living situation that provides mostly everything they could need or want without having to leave the bubble, thus lowering the chance of widespread to teams. Think of “The Neighborhood” in the NBA 2k franchise. There were some early hiccups; the food was panned very early on and it was noticeable to those who pay attention that certain players were provided better arrangements than others. But the food seems to have been solved with plenty of new options being provided and players have come out and downplayed the room disparity.

Where I think both leagues have shined is how they have allowed players to speak open and freely about social justice. I was disappointed early on when the NBA handpicked messages for the players to wear on their jerseys. They were as generic as they could be, and I felt like they were strangling their voices. However, the players have been able to use every opportunity imaginable to have their voices be heard. Players have taken time during their interviews to speak only on social justice. Players are wearing shirts that promote the movement and have been kneeling. They have been maximizing their opportunities in this regard.

I wanted to give a special shout out to the WNBA, who have always been at the forefront of these movements. Some of their best players sit out (Maya Moore, anyone?) and are always one of the first to respond to injustice. One moment I want to highlight is WNBA players recently wore shirts endorsing Rev. Raphael Warnock. Warnock is challenging Kelly Loeffler for a Senate seat. Loeffler opposed having Black Lives Matter promotion from the league and instead wanted American Flags placed on jerseys (it’s not my job to explain how she missed the point completely). The players have stated with their endorsement of Warnock that change happens with putting the right people in government and I love this move.

Grade: A-

Hockey

The NHL were largely quite during the entire pandemic. They quietly stopped the season and then waited until a return seemed likely. And I’m not sure how they pulled it off but they had zero positive cases (over 800 players) when they were ready to continue their season. They too are operating in a bubble environment, setting up a space for players to operate until the Stanley Cup is completed in the fall. From this perspective, you could argue they executed the bubble better than the NBA/WNBA. No complaints from players and the amenities seem to be up to standard of the professionals.

Where the NHL have slumped, however, was its reaction to the social justice movement. Though the league send out messages such as “End Racism” and #WeSkateForBlackLives, it seems like it was only propaganda, trying their hardest not to offend or lose fans. Please understand that there are multiple ways to show solidarity and not everyone has to kneel (For example, Gregg Popovich did not kneel, but no one can rightfully question where he stands on these issues), however taking a firm stance behind the fight against police brutality and racial inequality would have been better here. As much as most of us would love to “end” racism, it’s a goal that is not obtainable. What can be done is everyone blatantly speaking out against racism, to set into a motion a way to combat it. NHL players have started to put more energy into their voices (Matt Dumba became the first player to kneel) so there’s hope they can gain momentum in the fight for social justice.

Grade: B

PHoto Credit: Derick E. Hingle | USA TODAY Sports

Football

Oh the NFL. …The league with arguably the worst commissioner. The league who always finds a way to make their players feel more like roman gladiators than employees. The National Football League is constantly standing in the middle in some form of controversy. To be fair to, they have seemed developed a set of rules for players to adhere to in order to reduce the possibility of contracting the infection. The season is rapidly approaching but there is theoretically enough time for them to tighten up any further rules they want to create. However, where I see potential issues is with their plan for environment. There are currently no plans to stymie fans from attending games. The current plan is to enforce wearing masks and possibly making them sign a waiver (!) before attending games. The concern is that while they’re taking certain precautions for the players, having them sit with an empty seat in between—it just seems like they don’t understand that multiple people around would not be the best scenario. The bubble system has worked because it limits the amount of people in the settings with enough space. Once fans are implemented into safety guidelines, it reduces its effectiveness.

The NFL has stated they - like the NBA/WNBA - are allowing social justice messages to be placed in the endzones and are reasoning to will play the Black National Anthem during the first game. They are telling players they can wear a decal on their helmets, honoring a victim of systemic racism. All of these sound like amazing ideas and I do commend them with their effort. But it’s hard to have faith in a league that systematically blackballed Colin Kaepernick out of a career, never once having his back during that time. How can they expect people like me to believe they are truly behind this message? I will be more impressed if their bottom line starts to be affected and they stand firm. If not, The Rock just bought the XFL. Everyone loves The Rock.

Grade: C

Photo Credit: Steve Mitchell | USA TODAY Sports

Baseball

I prefer to start off with positives. Baseball, shockingly to me, has done a pretty good job of showing solidarity with the social justice movement. Players have knelt, players have been vocal about wanting to do more to fight against racial injustice. They’ve played Black Lives Matter videos during the Nationals-Yankees game. To be clear, the defending champions from Washington DC and the most storied franchise in the league, played a BLM video before their game. I wouldn’t believe it if I didn’t see it myself. So from this standpoint I see some effort from them and that is more than I thought we would have gotten.

It's just too bad they might not have a whole season to continue their efforts. The MLB had the worst plan for a season and it wasn’t even remotely close. Teams have been hit with positive cases almost from the get-go with the Marlins (oh Florida) being hit the hardest with a wildfire like spread. Commissioner Manfred came out last week and basically said if this doesn’t clear up, the season is done for. Rather than trying to secure a bubble-like atmosphere, the league is trying to continue travel (look closely NFL) and it has been a disaster. The league needs to find a solution and fast or it’s going to be bye-bye baseball.

Grade: D-