There are many things to be frustrated by during the current sports shutdown and global pandemic, but the lack of creativity and desire amongst teams, leagues and ownership groups is both baffling and aggravating. 

We’re all aware there is a lack of revenue flowing to sports teams right now, and that their bottom line is being affected. No games mean no ticket sales, decreased merchandising, concessions, premium suites and more. 

Normal revenue patterns have been disrupted for our billion-dollar sports organizations, meaning there is a temporary halt on organizational surplus.

Let’s not forget something: The owners are still very rich. The teams and leagues are still thriving. But the lives and financial well-being of those in their employ are at risk. 

The gameday workers and salaried staffers have much smaller margins between survival and financial ruin. 

So what can be done?

Every owner and organization has to search their soul and discover their moral obligation, but more importantly, leagues need to get creative with the schedule.

Start talking right now, publicly, about how you will play a full season. 

Why? Because the economic and revenue recovery for workers, owners, players, sponsors, fans, sports betting and the psyche of our nation depends on it.

Stop telling me how hard it is, or how you can’t possibly make up the games. You can, and you must.

Expand rosters, play more doubleheaders, shorten the off-season, in basketball, hockey and soccer play three games a week, shift your season and play baseball in southern ballparks - figure out a way to get it done!

The coaching staffs in professional sports are smart enough to manage their player’s workload - especially if we expand the rosters! Make sweeping and necessary changes to make the games work so that when the opportunity returns to play, we can all get back to work quickly and completely. 

To hell with the traditional season or long-standing rules. GET CREATIVE! 

Our society is set up like never before to absorb this issue, with more streaming capabilities and sports-focused channels, we can easily broadcast an onslaught of games. 

Doesn’t that sound wonderful right about now? Live games on every channel with a multitude of different sports available!

The last time the sports schedule was threatened like this was after the attacks of 9/11. The world seemed different. We all wondered if we’d ever get back to normal, if fans would go to games, if it would be safe.

Do you know what happened? Sports brought us back to who we were as a nation. 

I’ll never forget the sound of the National Anthem being sung at a sporting event after 9/11 - it carried more power than before. The sight of our beloved athletes waving flags and screaming to the fans, they were the heroes we needed.  

There is a symbiotic relationship between sports and the world, and we can’t cheapen it with a shortened schedule.  

Sports needs the world, and the world needs sports.