New Normal: The coronavirus dilemma to sport
By Charles Ssemugabo
By now, many of us have come to terms with the new normal, or perhaps looking forward to living through these uncertain times sooner or later.
The new normal at least for now seems to only reduce the cost of running business while slowing down the speed of execution of work.
While many industries both locally and internationally have figured out how to deal with one of the greatest disruptors of human life in the recent past, this is still a big puzzle for the sports industry in Uganda.
The new normal for the sports industry in Uganda is indeed farfetched. Unlike our Tanzania neighbours who have completely ignored the Covid-19 pandemic and have since resumed sports activity, in fact, with stadia full to capacity due to the excitement that sports bring but also the long months of restricted social engagements.
It is quite costly for many, if not all local sports clubs and federations, to install and follow the recommended guidelines for opening of the industry.
On average, a rugby, basketball or football team has more than 15 players not mentioning the coaching staff. If we take the basic recommendation of testing every player before resumption of sports as we have seen in the Premier League, Champions League or the National Basketball Association, barely any team can afford a cost of over 270,000 Ugandan shillings for all their playing and coaching staff.
Later alone ensuring that players do not mix with the public to pick up the fast spreading malignant. What is, indeed the new normal for local sports in Uganda?
Being a sports administrator, but also speaking to several others, the cost of running a local sports club barely brings any profits to those investing money in it.
The fact that many sports clubs are financed by individuals is double tragedy for what brings joy and life to many of us.
As businesses are struggling to get back to life, many individuals including those that finance sports clubs are going through the same.
Sports might now be the last thing that sports club owners want to invest in money given the low or no returns.
Federations are struggling to meet their operational costs and thus might not be in positions to support clubs to figure out the new normal.
As we have already witnessed the empty stadium in the European and American sports leagues, the new normal for now means no fans during games.
No fans mean no gate collection for teams, yet this is a great source of income that does fuel their activities including federations especially those that run leagues.
No fans also mean that the resumption of sport might not restore the entertainment it comes with especially with the lack of television in our sports industry.
Could the new normal be the introduction of television deals in many of the sports leagues in order to meet the needs of the public. May be, may be not. Only time will tell.
In a nutshell, the local sports industry cannot afford the copy or cut from the global north as we quickly jumped onto the lockdown bandwagon.
But rather needs to find quick solutions to get sports back to life. There is a lot at stake in all its entirety, including talent, time, money and the social engagements it presents.
We either ignore the Covid-19 pandemic just like Tanzania has chosen to, or find quick and workable new normal with our meagre resources. Otherwise, there will soon be no new normal.
Mr Ssemugabo a sports administrator with Sharing Youth Basketball Club
