Pros And Cons Of Push Playing Pro Golf Again In June

Eric Patterson at The Score lays out a smart list of pros and cons to the PGA Tour pushing to be playing in June, making it likely the first major sport to return. He calls it an “aggressive approach” and says the Tour has a chance to provide a “template” for other leagues.

So as Friday’s likely rollout, as other components to President Trump’s vision for reopening the economy are presented, keep on the look out for signs the Tour has secured testing and presented other safety-first ideas to get sports started again.

On the pro side he writes:

A successful return to play would provide other professional leagues the opportunity to determine exactly what's required to run a sporting event during the coronavirus pandemic. Lessons learned from the Tour's efforts to efficiently test players, safely travel between states, and piece together broadcasts with reduced crews could help accelerate the returns of other sports.

Unfortunately, there is no financial perk in setting that table.

Another “pro” left out: never having to see those virile and virus-friendly bro hug/shakes that we won’t have to endure again. Ever.

The con side makes you wonder what the insurance costs will be to play events when portrayed this way:

The PGA Tour can't really be confined to a single city or state, a luxury other professional sports have the opportunity to explore. Not all players can afford to charter private flights, either; pros will be frequenting airports, staying in hotels, and eating at restaurants on the road.

Imagine the backlash if a player tests positive for COVID-19 after returning to action and the PGA Tour is forced to shut down yet again. This single con might outweigh all the pros combined.