With COVID-19 still a real concern across much of the world and particularly here in North America, many are asking what a potential re-opening, if any, for the athletic and sports industry could look like. While we certainly can’t pretend to have all of the answers, keeping a finger on the pulse of the industry is what we do. Here’s what we are learning about re-opening plans and what they could entail over the coming weeks and months.
As facilities begin to plan welcoming back participants and possible spectators, much has gone into the planning of seating. It’s obvious at this point that sitting elbow-to-elbow in a bank of bleachers will unlikely be an option for the foreseeable future. When it comes to smaller venues, we are seeing an uptick in small bleacher orders. Many operators are ordering additional seating that would allow seating for a similar number of spectators while maintaining physical distancing.
In addition to this, marking tape is also in demand at the moment, in this case for use on seating structures such as bleachers. While there will be more seating available at certain venues, each bank of bleachers will need adequate markings to ensure that spectators remain six feet apart.
Streaming
While we can certainly all agree that nothing beats being inside a stadium or along the sidelines for any sporting event, the fact is that many are turning to live streaming of athletic events. With the ability to watch the action unfold from the comfort of your home or anywhere with an internet connection, many companies are stepping up to facilitate this process.
The ways to enable a live stream vary but many of them consist of having a web camera posted along the sidelines that has the ability to broadcast the performance in real-time online.
While certainly without the fanfare we are used to, this is yet another realistic option for sports and athletics for the time being.
Field Spraying
Touching again on physical distancing guidelines, this is another highly popular development in the COVID-19 landscape. As we begin to welcome back park goers and spectators, many have turned to marking safe areas in greenspaces and fields to ensure that all are properly distanced during these difficult times.
While traditional sprayers are more than capable of making these small circles, there are also specialized machines with robot learning that are able to effectively calculate distances and spray the appropriately sized circles as they go.