Sporting heaven is coming after coronavirus shutdown

The path to a better tomorrow after coronavirus is perilous with the loss of livelihoods or, even worse, loved ones. But from a sporting sense, there’s a light at the tunnel worth clinging to for fans.

In humanity’s darkest hour, Winston Churchill coined some of modern history’s most profound sayings.

In tough times that pale in comparison, you can set your clock to someone – usually far less wise than the former British PM – dusting them off and repurposing them.

Depending who you ask, their re-use rarely hits home – probably because they’re not usually used in times of significant distress.

But while the coronavirus pandemic isn’t World War II, it’s the biggest global crisis many of us have ever known.

Suddenly, it feels like a Churchill quote or two wouldn’t go astray.

“If you’re going through hell, keep going” stands out because, well, we’re having a real s**t go of it right now.

Relive classic AFL matches from the 60s to today on KAYO SPORTS. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >

Less well-known, yet more comforting is: “The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.”

In this instance, we aren’t actually looking back far, even if it feels like we’re recapping years.

We’ve lost live sport, knock-off beers at the pub, date night at our favourite restaurant and guaranteed access to Ventolin for asthmatics.

Hauntingly, we didn’t lose those in years, or even months.

Life as we knew it was ended in days.

But as our friend Churchill alluded to, in times of darkness we can see – or at least hope for – a bright future.

The AFL has shut down until at least May 31 due to the coronavirus.

For many, the path to a better tomorrow is perilous after the loss of livelihoods or, even worse, loved ones.

In terms of sport, however, the light at the end of the tunnel is far closer.

As the pile of postponements rises with every day, sport’s collective cancellation list remains thin.

A sporting bonanza for the ages could soon follow.

Winter sports are being backed into summer sports while others are looking at a period of fixture-saturation that could leave punters with something to watch almost every night.

AFL is on hiatus until at least May 31 but still intends to complete all 144 games remaining in the regular season, plus finals.

The NRL still hopes to play a 15-game season, even if it doesn’t restart until September 1.

The NRL has been postponed indefinitely but could still schedule a 15-round season even if play doesn’t restart until September 1.

Providing increased government restrictions prove successful in flattening the curve of coronavirus, football fans will have more games than they can shake a stick at later this year.

And that’s just the beginning.

Liverpool's Premier League title charge could resume from June 1.

The Premier League’s already-chaotic schedule could reach a new level on June 1, which is tentatively being targeted as a resumption date. Twenty teams with either nine or 10 matches remaining would be asked to complete the season by July 11 so the 2020-21 season could then start on August 8.

Cricket in Australia has been relatively unscathed by coronavirus and will start next summer with a bang in October when the men’s T20 World Cup is scheduled.

Meanwhile, the NBA – the first league to go into shutdown – won’t make a prediction on when it will resume but some reports suggest mid-late June is being targeted.

Formula One has its eye on a similar restart having postponed races up until Canada’s on June 14, although Australia and Monaco have been wiped from the schedule.

F1 chief Chase Carey said in a statement on Monday that it is still targeting a 15-18 race season that will wipe the traditional mid-season break and could end in December.

The US PGA Tour is cancelling events by the week but is yet to pull the pin on any majors. All four could still be played in 2020 after the decision was made to only postpone the Masters and PGA Championship instead of cancelling them.

Tiger Woods celebrates after his comeback triumph at the US Masters.

Major season could instead start with The Open in mid-July before a return to America to complete the other three by the season-ending Tour Championship, scheduled for August 27-30.

Tennis’ Grand Slams also remain intact with only the French Open postponed so far. That’s been shifted to September 20 which is in proximity to the US Open, scheduled to end just one week prior on September 13.

And the sporting feast will continue well after that, because 2021 has suddenly acquired two of the greatest events there are.

The European Championships will be hosted between June 11 and July 11 before giving way to the world’s biggest sporting event, the Summer Olympics.

Make no mistake, we’re still living in sporting hell and will be for months yet.

But on the other side sporting heaven exists, and boy will it be sweet.

MORE SPORT NEWS:

The best sports documentaries to watch while on coronavirus lockdown with no live sport

Tokyo Olympics 2020 delay: Australian athletes won’t be required to re-qualify

How will a cricket World Cup in October perform against the AFL and NRL?

Formula One holding out for probable July start but no hope for Australian GP resurrection

AFL season could be cancelled if players don’t agree to 80 per cent pay cut

Originally published as Sporting heaven is coming after coronavirus shutdown