COVID-19 has affected every industry in one way or another, and sports are no exception. Each sport has responded differently, some decided to postpone their season and others decided to create a “bubble” of safety for their players in order to keep playing. The NHL is one of the teams that decided to continue their season.
The NHL created their “bubble” by testing everyone and creating an isolated community that would have no contact with the outside world. This means that there would be no live audiences at games. However, they have been able to continue their season while fans watch the games from home.
During the first week of gameplay after the initial COVID-19 outbreak and shut-down, the NHL performed 7,013 tests. The second week had a total of 7,245 tests and the third week dropped down to 5,640 tests as the community was able to isolate themselves. The NHL has currently done over 20,000 tests on
players and personnel.
The MLB was on the opposite side of the issue. Rather than try to create their own quarantine “bubble,” they opted to suspend their season. There
has been a lack of cohesion within the MLB and it has caused more players to get infected with the virus. As they try open back up, there have already been more
cases due to an incident with the Miami Marlins. Four of the Marlins players tested positive for COVID- 19, but the league continued with the game.
The reason that the “bubble” worked for the NHL was that the NHL and the NHL players association worked together, and everyone involved took the proper precautions. It shows that, in this time of uncertainty, we need to rally together and let this virus unite us rather than tear us apart. America can learn from the NHL and realize that we stand strong if we stand together and help one another out rather than sabotage each other at every turn.
Sources: SBNATION, The Hockey News
Will Cunningham 
Megan Keating 
Natasha Chaillou