Pandemic championships

 When Sports returned without fans, we knew things would be different.  Most every sport outside of football is in some kind of bubble and without fans or fans at a reduced capacity.  Having socially distianced sports is better than nothing but makes for some interesting made for T.V events.  When the U.S Open, tennis tournament crowned their champions we got a taste of what playing and winning a championship during a pandemic would be like.  There were no people on the grounds at the tennis center and no tunnel of sound ringing down on the eventual champion, just some staff members and coaches.  I watched a lot of this tournament and I felt that they could have done more, can someone say virtual fans projected on a cyclorama in the biggest tennis stadium in the world.  Inside Arthur Ashe stadium there were just a couple video boards that would switch between virtual fans and other messages.  When Lebron and the Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA championship, in the Orlando bubble last month things seemed better planned out.  There were virtual fans, some teams chants and scoreboard messages so although you weren't in the teams home arenas on television this was close.  Some family was able to witness the championship, on site but they weren't staying with the players.  Baseball is hosting most of its playoffs and eventual World Series in one of two bubbles, the American League playoffs have been in Southern California and the National League and World Series have been in Texas.  MLB is still in the midst of its Championship Series and one in San Diego California is being played without fans but in Texas they have some fans and although the fans and wearing masks and are under strict covid-19 rules it feels more natural to have real people not just cardboard cutouts in the stands.  The World Series which will be played at Globe Life Park in Arlington Texas will also host fans, at a reduced capacity and will no doubt add a little something to an otherwise empty ballpark.  Having fans in seats at about 30% capacity cannot replicate a screaming capacity crowd.  After seeing spots crown champions with no fans and then virtual fans we'll see what baseball looks like, it's better than nothing which has been a theme this year.  Being in bubbles is hard on players and families, when not playing it probably feels a little like prison with having to follow all the covid-19 guidelines and then your separated from loved ones but championships are still sweet.