2020's Lost Events

This year is unlike anything any of us have ever experienced before.  And we'll hopefully never experience anything like it again.  The world has come to a standstill, and the global sporting calendar was virtually empty for the first time any of us can remember.  Only now are we gradually starting to get back to "normal," albeit with empty stadiums

Some of those events were easy to reschedule.  Others were not.  And those are the ones you've gotta feel the worst for.  From fans who bought tickets to volunteers and staff who were preparing themselves to work an event that now won't happen to the local businesses that won't get the boost from all the visitors coming into town for the event.  They'll all probably be given the event again at some point soon.  But it'll take longer for some than for others.

The NCAA Tournament was one of the first events to go, and it's one of the best examples of what I'm talking about.  The first/second round and regional sites will be easy.  Those are only awarded a few years in advance.  In fact, the only NCAA Tournament sites that we already know are next year's.  They haven't been awarded for 2022 and beyond.  So, it makes sense to simply move the 2020 sites to 2022.

However, it's a different story with the Final Four.  This year's was supposed to be in Atlanta.  The next six Final Fours have already been awarded.  Which means Atlanta's earliest opportunity will be in 2027, seven years after the city was supposed to.  (The Final Four is in Indianapolis every five years, so they could conceivably give Atlanta 2026 and move Indy, which is also hosting in 2021, to the following year.)

Likewise, the next four Women's Final Fours are already set.  Although, assuming they give New Orleans, which was due to host in 2020, the next available opportunity in 2025, that will only be five years later.  Not too bad in comparison.  Especially when you consider New Orleans last hosted in 2013. 

In hockey, the Frozen Four is only scheduled for 2021 and 2022, so this year's host, Detroit, will likely be given 2023, which is no issue at all.  The World Hockey Championships, though, are a much different story.  Switzerland was due to host for the first time since 2009.  The next five have been awarded, so the Swiss will now have to wait until 2026 at the earliest.  Six years is a long time when you've already been waiting 11! 

Although, the IIHF might have an out.  The 2023 World Championships are currently scheduled for Russia, but one of Russia's doping sanctions is that the country can't host or bid for World Championships.  So, if those doping sanctions hold after Russia's appeal, the IIHF could easily move that event to Switzerland.  (It would actually be an incredible show of goodwill if Russia were to just voluntarily withdraw and hand over hosting duties to Switzerland.)

Speaking of waiting a long time for an event that's likely not going to happen, the MLB All*Star Game hasn't been played in Dodger Stadium since 1980.  That was due to change next month.  While it hasn't been officially cancelled yet, we'll be lucky if the 2020 season starts by then.  Fortunately, they haven't announced All*Star hosts beyond next year in Atlanta (not counting Philadelphia in 2026).  So, MLB had better do the right thing and give 2022 to Dodger Stadium.  (And Vin Scully better do the player introductions, too!)

Another event that will now happen in 2022 is the 150th British Open at St. Andrews.  That was done intentionally.  St. Andrews hosts the British Open every five years (for obvious reasons).  This year would've been the Old Course's turn in the rotation, but they wanted 150 at St. Andrews and this year was supposed to be 149, so they were going to hold off a year.

Cancelling this year's event threw that off entirely, of course.  Now next year is 149, not 150, which would've meant St. Andrews now wasn't due to host the milestone anniversary.  The Brits came up with a simple solution to this problem that was both smart and practical.  This year's host will host next year and St. Andrews will still host the 150th as planned, only in 2022 instead of 2021.  The 2022 host, meanwhile, gets bumped to a future tournament (I'd imagine in 2025, the next available date).

Unfortunately, there wasn't an easy solution for the European Track & Field Championships, which were due to be held in Paris in late August.  Unlike most 2020 events that were simply pushed back a year to 2021, that wasn't practical in this case.  Not with 2021 already jam packed with events that were either already scheduled (European Indoors, European Team Championships, World Relays) or rescheduled from this year (World Indoors, Tokyo Olympics).

So, 2021 wasn't going to work.  And the 2022 European Championships are already scheduled for Munich in late August (after the World Championships and Commonwealth Games).  The next one after that is in 2024, when Paris will already be a little busy.  Could they conceivably host in 2026 or 2028?  Of course!  But who's to say they'll still want to.

Then there's the big one.  There's still some doubt about whether the Tokyo Olympics can be held, even after postponing them a year.  The IOC has said it's 2021 or never.  We're not remotely close to that point yet, but "never" shouldn't be an option.  If they do have to cancel the 2020 Olympics entirely, Tokyo should immediately be granted the 2032 Games.

I'd like to believe that every city/country that was due to host a major sporting event in 2020 will get the opportunity to do so as soon as possible.  Because all the infrastructure, money, time and manpower that has been invested shouldn't be for naught.  Especially as a result of something that was out of anyone's control.  Talk about adding insult to injury!