Coronavirus’ inexorable spread has slowly nibbled its way into many of the things that make life worth living: rugby matches, football leagues, the NBA, and generally sports matches of all types have been cancelled by the dozen to keep players and fans alike safe from the fear of the rampant spread of the virus. But if your weekends are usually spent watching the game on the telly, what can you do instead?
Watch highlight reels
Find series of goals and best bits online to satisfy your love of superior sports. YouTube and other streaming and video sites are packed with ‘best of’ clips. You can also find blooper reels, spectacular fails, and one-to-one interviews with sporting heroes ranging from star players to coaches to referees. You might not be able to watch your favourite team in their latest matches, but you can learn a bit about their backstory, past successes (or otherwise) and even, perhaps, their future hopes.
Watch sports movies
For that heart-pounding, will-they-won’t-they action, sports movies are the answer. There is usually an engaging back story and enough skilful sports play for it to feel real, even to the most devoted sporty fan. There are plenty of sports based movies, many of which can be watched instantly on television streaming and broadcasting services. Some good ones to keep your eyes open for include: Field of Dreams, Invictus, Million Dollar Baby, Rudy, and Bend It Like Beckham to name just a few.
Play sports games on your video game console
To immerse yourself in the action, dig out your games console and find all your sporting games: the FIFA series as well as other football games, racing games, boxing and wrestling games, and more. Then spend time setting up a great team and creating a league to work your way up. Make sure you make the league climb just tricky enough that you are exercised and challenged, but not so difficult that you get upset and cannot achieve your goals!
Have a little flutter
If you like to put a little bet on the game each week and find yourself craving that harmless but satisfying thrill, why not sign up to an online casino or video slots site? You may not get the elegance of the beautiful game: a perfectly placed header, an elegant overhead bicycle kick, a long shot timed to bounce just so to stymie the goal-keeper, but you will get that delicious sense of anticipation that adds an extra edge to your match-time enjoyment. SkyCity Roulette is the perfect game: simple and quick to play, with a nicely drawn out moment once you have spun the wheel as you wait to see the ball coming to rest – just like on the field!
Hopefully the coronavirus will not be affecting sporting events for too much longer – and indeed, many stadia and broadcasters are in talks for teams to play behind closed doors (or, with no spectators) in order to protect the team and the spectators themselves. But until the powers that be have come up with a plan, now you have some options about what to do while you wait for things to revert to normal.
