Circa 2020 appears to be only about cutting the losses

The Covid19 pandemic is slowly and surely taking its toll on the world of sports!

Whoever heard of a tennis grand slam event without top stars even as the US Open must carefully weigh the consequences of the withdrawal by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. 

Chances of any quick resumption of the men's ATP and women's WTA tours looks bleak as severe restrictions on international travel is keeping players at home.

And tennis is not suffering alone. Badminton and table tennis, where the real stars come from Asia, have been in suspended animation since March! Worse off are the contact sports like boxing and wrestling where there hardly seems any light at the end of the tunnel.

Football has managed to chart a rather safe course so far. But not without its own share of hits! National leagues have been completed before empty stands and now the UEFA Champions League has made its remaining knock-out matches single leg affairs. The games are all being hosted by Portugal to cut down on travel by clubs as well as reduce the exposure for players.

Cricket in England too has taken baby steps towards resumption but nowhere near normal.

And the Indian Premier League will be played in the United Arab Emirates even as the Board of Control for Cricket in India mulls various options for domestic cricket. Even as the BCCI explores avenues, there is already talk of the 14th edition of the IPL getting affected with franchise owners reluctant to go in for a fresh round of player auction barely a month after the 2020 season is completed. 

Sponsorship worries plague the 13th edition even though former India captain and current BCCI president Sourav Ganguly insists its "only a blip rather than a full-blown crisis". Money matters are tough to handle given the present uncertainty in the global economy. So the confidence of a BCCI top shot is soothing indeed..

USA stood apart with each of its leagues taking a different route but some coming a cropper! While basketball opted for a bio-secure environment in Orlando, Florida, to try and complete the 2019-20 NBA season, ice hockey suffered as NHL teams were slow off the blocks and play-offs without hiccups seems pretty unlikely.

Baseball has had its share of cancellations with MLB teams not spared by the pandemic. And grid-iron football has been put on the back-burner for the time being as the decision makers discuss the risks with all stake-holders.

Professional golf too has seen a depleted field for its Majors but teed off regardless as players were expected to keep themselves healthy. As each weekend passes by, PGA continues to count its losses but keeps ploughing on in the hope of a better tomorrow.

The Olympic Games in Tokyo scheduled for July-August 2021 may find it tough to keep its date with destiny even as the entire world struggles to stay alive and clear of the virus infection. Its more about survival rather than excellence ... cut the losses while you can!