TUESDAY CAT COUNTRY COMMENTARY – THE OTHER PANDEMIC

(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary at 9:50 am and 5:20 pm on Cat Country 98 FM)

IT’S HAZY, BUT I’M STARTING TO SEE THE FINISH LINE.

NO … I DON’T HAVE A PREDICTION FOR THE END DATE OF THE PANDEMIC, BUT I’M STARTING TO SEE HOW SPORTS WILL LOOK ONCE WE’RE FINALLY ALLOWED TO FILL STADIUMS AND ARENAS AGAIN.

AND WE WILL FILL THEM.

HAVING A LABOUR DAY WEEKEND WITHOUT LABOUR DAY CLASSICS REALLY SEEMED TO HIT HOME FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE HOW MUCH THEY MISS LIVE SPORTS.

THE OUTPOURING ON SOCIAL MEDIA WAS KIND OF DEPRESSING IF YOU ALLOWED IT, BUT IT WAS ALSO A TESTAMENT HOW MUCH CANADIANS LOVE THE CFL.

IT’S CLEAR HUMANS HAVE REALIZED THAT SPORTS ISN’T JUST ABOUT WHAT’S GOING ON DOWN ON THE FIELD OR THE ICE. YOU CAN WATCH TV FOR THAT.

IT’S ABOUT THE ROAD TRIP, THE TAILGATING, THE GATHERING WITH FRIENDS, THE STANDING IN LINE, THE GETTING TO KNOW NEW PEOPLE AND MAKING MEMORIES.

I’M AFRAID THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAD GONE MISSING IN SPORTS AND DEFINITELY TAKEN FOR GRANTED. PEOPLE WERE BECOMING FAR TOO COMFORTABLE WITH STAYING AT HOME AND WATCHING GAMES ON THEIR BIG SCREEN IN THEIR RECLINER, ALL-THE-WHILE ATTENDANCE ACROSS ALL LEAGUES WAS GOING DOWN, DOWN, DOWN.

THAT WAS A PANDEMIC FOR WHICH NO SPORTS MARKETER HAD THE CURE.

PRO TEAMS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DO THEIR PART BY LOWERING TICKET PRICES TO HELP FILL ARENAS ONCE THIS IS OVER, BUT THEY’RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A CHOICE.

WE’RE IN THE RESET AND WE’RE GOING TO GET BACK TO THE WAY IT USED TO BE.

JUST DON’T ASK ME WHEN.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY ON CAT COUNTRY 98.