|
Happy Saturday, folks.
I regularly get emails from the readers of this mailing, asking what’s up with Paul Wiecek. Some of you even say you miss him. I don’t tell him that — don’t need to swell his forehead any further.
There’s also an occasional request for us to reprise our Say What?! feature. Perhaps I’ll reel him in for a chat like that in the new year. I suppose there’s a few things from 2020 we could discuss.
Meantime, Wiecek makes a special guest appearance today with a yarn on how COVID-19 might be the thing that finally bursts the pro sports bubble.
No, not that new bubble where players gather in one spot to try to avoid the virus. Instead, the one he wrote about in 2017, where he speculated along with industry analysts that it was just a matter of when, not if, the pro sports industry faced a financial reckoning.
Bruce Bennett / Getty Images files
The NHL was able to hold the Stanley Cup Playoffs in two bubble cities this summer: Toronto and Edmonton (pictured).
With very few fans in the stands and TV ratings in the tank, it’s not a very rosy financial picture in the sports world these days. How that plays out going forward is anyone’s guess, but I’ll let Paul provide you his take: afterall, it was some shrewd investing and a frugal — and I mean FRUGAL — lifestyle that allowed the guy to retire at 51.
Also today, we have the debut of Andrea Katz. A few weeks ago, I mentioned that Andrea would be joining us with a regular column. In her words: “the column will be dedicated to the events, stories, ideologies, athletes and coaches that are doing incredible things when it comes to females in sport both locally and nationally. The issues facing girls and women in sport are real, and I’m here to talk about it one boxing ring, hockey rink and football field at a time.”
In her first yarn, Andrea recaps what was discussed at a recent virtual conference series she participated in that brought together leading experts on girls and women in sport.
Staying involved, or participating at all, was a top topic. One in three girls drop out of sport by the time they reach their teenage years, compared to one in 10 boys. Sixty-two percent of girls don’t play sports at all.
Andrea has the scoop on what experts think we can do to help change these numbers. We look forward to her contributions going forward.
So, welcome. And, welcome back.
My plans for the weekend are much the same as last weekend. Two albums on tap for Sonos Saturday: U2’s Rattle and Hum and Ian Hunter’s You’re Never Alone With a Schizophrenic.
Hey, it’s just another night on the other side of life.
Stay safe and enjoy the weekend as best you can folks.
As always, you can reach me by replying to this mailing or by sending me an email here.
|
