Sports have always been important to people around the world, specifically, deeply important to American people. Sports like football and baseball have been around since the late 1800s, leading sporting events, professional or recreational, becoming ingrained in American culture. COVID-19 has, unfortunately, caused the cancelation of sporting events to socially distance people.

Sports are not by any means essential. However, it is hard to argue that they are not important to the culture of the United States.  The amount of Americans that tune in to view events only continues to increase; from the previous three Super Bowls, there have been roughly three hundred million viewers. As these events have grown in popularity over the years, they have become a staple part of life for many. The current lack of sporting events highlights how influential they have become in society and how they are a mainstay in American’s lives. 

Since sports are richly ingrained in society, they have helped bring people together. They allow people from different walks of life to share bonding experiences through supporting teams. Social distancing, in effect, magnifies the importance of sports in the United States. Channels like ESPN have replayed classic games and given fans a chance to reminisce and find comfort in watching something they value. While nothing can replace the feeling of watching sports live, the effort to put out sports content for fans, even in the wake of a pandemic, shows their necessity in everyday life. 

The cancelations came along with outcry from the public. Most notably, the NBA was having one of the most competitive seasons in years before they postponed the season on March 11. Now, they are forced to consider playing games in arenas without fans or even canceling the season for good. The NFL, on the other hand, was able to maintain a sense of normalcy by having the draft with the players watching at home. 

Even President Donald Trump, weeks ago, spoke out about the importance of sports returning sooner rather than later. Trump, to no avail so far, spoke with league officials from the NBA, NFL and the MLB about saving some form of their season, according to Forbes.com. 

COVID-19 has certainly proved that without sports, the United States is far different from what it was before. However, there is still optimism surrounding the return of organized sports.

Sports bring people together and instill a feeling of pride in participants. These are all values that have helped build the country that we live in today and will keep it running for future generations. So, the importance of sports is not a secret; it is clear that without it, many may lose their unity with one another.