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Effects of the Pandemic on the Sports and Betting Industries in Canada

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The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to an intense reduction in sporting activities in Canada. The case is similar to most countries worldwide. Sporting activities need close contact between players, which is impossible with the pandemic.

Professional sports leagues have been on the short end of the stick. Professional teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Vancouver Canucks have had their schedules disrupted by COVID-19 protocols.

On the 22nd of March 2020, the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic committees announced that they would not send their teams to Tokyo. It was in their best interest to avoid a compromising situation that could have led to severe infections.

Reduced Attendance and Cancellation of Sporting Events

The pandemic hasn’t spared fans either. Since the onset of the pandemic, a majority of the Canadian population hasn’t attended sporting events in person. Many sports have had to innovate by finding ways to reach people on virtual platforms.

Virtual solutions are not the best because the thrill of physical attendance is lacking. The few sporting events that allow attendance have cut down the number of people allowed in a sports venue in a significant way.

Canadian teams had to cancel all seasons from the 13th of March 2020 onwards. These include:

  • The National Hockey League
  • Hockey Canada
  • The Canadian Junior Hockey League
  • The Canadian Hockey League
  • The National Lacrosse League

International events such as the 2020 World Women’s Curling Championship were also not spared. Sports like golf experienced increased activity since there isn’t much player contact and interaction.

Intense Loss of Jobs

The sports industry is among other recreational sectors that experienced the immense loss of employees. Though involuntary, sporting venues had to let go of workers. Venue closures and cancellation of events are significant reasons for job loss.

The government also chose to focus on more dire sectors of the economy. Thus, funding became unavailable for the sports sector for a notable period.

The situation improved through the 2021 budget. The Canadian government committed $1.9 million to boost the arts and sports industries. The funding was to go towards recovery and helping to create middle-class jobs in the sector.

Impact of COVID-19 on Sports Betting

Unlike the United States, where sports betting is legal, some Canadian provinces still have misgivings. That aside, a source from betting.ca stated that sports betting in Canada also felt the negative impacts of the pandemic. With live games on hold, sportsbook makers had to look for alternatives to keep their customers at bay. Virtual sports betting became the in thing since live betting was impossible.

Despite the sports betting industry facing major challenges, Canadians are experiencing a slight return to normalcy. Single-event sports betting recently received a stamp of approval after approval of the C-218 bill.

Reports suggest that there is potential for the sports betting market in Canada. Single-event sports betting is potentially at US$4 billion. Soon, many sports betting operators will enter the Canadian market leading to intense growth of the economy.

COVID-19 taught many industries to improvise, and the Canadian sports betting industry was no different.

The Future of Sports Betting Post-Pandemic

Although many provinces are yet to approve of single-event sports betting, the future is bright. The Canadian government is looking to put in place an agency to watch the sports betting industry. There are some concerns about the bill. Amendments will touch on:

  • Prohibiting match-fixing
  • Modifications to the Criminal Code (to incorporate First Nations lottery considerations)

The legalization of single-event sports betting is a monumental move. It has the power to transform the entire Canadian sports industry only if it remains open, transparent, and has considerations on responsible betting.

What is the Way Forward for the Canadian Sports Industry Post-Pandemic?

The sports world was the first to experience the negative impacts of the pandemic. Sports authorities in Canada have closed and reopened venues several times. Although the pandemic seems unpredictable, there are measures in place to get the industry back to where it was.

Many aspects of the economy depend on the success of the Canadian sports industry. Many professional players from Canada had to join international teams to stay afloat. Without a doubt, some events are making their way back to the sports scene.

We hope that everything goes back to normal so that we get back to ticketing and registering huge fan numbers at sports venues.

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Jays reliever Green and Canadian slugger O’Neill nominated for comeback player award

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NEW YORK – Toronto Blue Jays reliever Chad Green and Canadian slugger Tyler O’Neill of the Boston Red Sox were named finalists for the Major League Baseball Players’ Association’s American League comeback player award on Monday.

Chicago White Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet was the other nominee.

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani and Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. were named player of the year finalists.

The award winners, selected via player voting, will be named Saturday before Game 2 of the World Series.

Green, who missed most of the 2022 and ’23 seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery, was a high-leverage option for the Blue Jays this past season and filled in at closer over the second half of the campaign.

The right-hander converted his first 16 save opportunities and finished the year with a 4-6 record, 17 saves and a 3.21 earned-run average over 53 appearances.

O’Neill, a native of Burnaby, B.C., also endured back-to-back injury-plagued seasons in ’22 and ’23.

After being traded to the Red Sox in the off-season, O’Neill set an MLB record by hitting a homer in his fifth straight Opening Day. He finished with 31 homers on the year and had an OPS of .847.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Duke’s Cooper Flagg makes preseason AP All-America team as ACC, Big 12, SEC each place 2 players

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Alabama’s Mark Sears and North Carolina‘s RJ Davis looked into the possibility of leaving for the NBA before deciding to return for another college season.

Their decisions helped their teams earn top-10 rankings in the AP Top 25 and earned both players some preseason honors, too.

Sears was a near-unanimous selection for The Associated Press preseason All-America men’s basketball team released Monday, earning all but one vote from a 55-person national media panel. Davis was right behind him, nabbing 51 votes.

They were joined by Kansas big man Hunter Dickinson, Auburn forward Johni Broome, Arizona guard Caleb Love and Duke freshman Cooper Flagg. Love and Flagg tied for the final spot, creating a six-man team that includes only the ACC, Big 12 and SEC.

Alabama twin bill

Sears was a key cog in the Crimson Tide’s first trip to the Final Four a year ago, orchestrating one of college basketball’s highest-scoring teams.

The 6-foot-1 guard was named a second-team AP All-America after averaging 21.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists. He was the first Division I player in 31 years to have 795 points, 150 rebounds, 145 assists and 95 three-pointers in a single season while breaking the Alabama single-season record with 26 games with at least 20 points.

Sears worked out for NBA scouts during the offseason before deciding to return to Alabama, earning the Crimson Tide a No. 2 ranking in the preseason AP Top 25.

“I saw the team that we had and I wanted to be a part of it, and bring home Alabama’s first national championship in basketball,” Sears said.

Across the state at rival Auburn, Broome made a quick decision about his future, announcing in April that he would be back for a fifth season.

The 6-10 forward was a third-team AP All-American last season after averaging 16.5 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting nearly 55% from the floor. With an eye on an NBA future, Broome worked hard on his perimeter shooting during the offseason and his return earned Auburn a No. 11 preseason ranking.

“My main goal is a team goal, which is to win the national championship, to make it as far as I can in March Madness,” Broome said. “When a team shines, everyone shines individually.”

Along Tobacco Road

Like Sears, Davis has similar aspirations after opting to return for his fifth season at North Carolina.

The 6-foot guard was an AP All-American last season and the ACC player of the year after averaging 21.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists on a team that reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Davis enters this year within reach of former North Carolina big man Tyler Hansbrough’s all-time ACC scoring record.

“I know there’s more work to be done,” Davis said. “I know my jersey’s not going up until I leave. So there’s some more records to break and some more work to be done. I’m satisfied but I’m not satisfied, if that makes sense.”

Up the road at Duke, Flagg was the only underclassman on the preseason All-America team after arriving with tons of hype. The 6-9 swingman was the No. 1-rated high school recruit out of Newport, Maine and has been projected as the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft.

Flagg has the skills of a guard, but can also play inside and has worked hard on his perimeter shooting, giving him the potential to be one of college basketball’s most versatile players. He’s part of a stellar recruiting class that has No. 7 Duke eyeing a deep March run.

Big 12 duo

Dickinson was the biggest move in the transfer portal last spring after leaving Michigan for Kansas. The 7-2 center lived up to the billing, averaging 17.9 points and 10.9 rebounds while leading the Jayhawks back to the NCAA Tournament.

With Dickinson’s return and an influx of talented transfers, Kansas is ranked No. 1 going into the season that begins Nov. 4.

Love’s decision to return for a second season at No. 10 Arizona has ratcheted up expectations in the desert for the Big 12 rival of Kansas.

The athletic 6-4 guard had a high-scoring career at North Carolina and continued it after transferring to Arizona last season. He was the Pac-12 player of the year and a third-team All-American after averaging 18 points per game and making 92 3-pointers.

Love tested the NBA waters this summer before deciding to return.

“He’s had a very successful college career thus far,” Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said. “He’s kind of this last generation of player that’s going to get better with this extra year, and so I just encourage him to take advantage of it.”

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Browns QB Deshaun Watson ruptured his Achilles tendon and is out for the season, AP source says

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CLEVELAND (AP) — Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will miss the rest of Cleveland‘s season after rupturing his right Achilles tendon on Sunday against Cincinnati, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Monday.

Watson was injured on a non-contact play in the second quarter of Cleveland’s 21-14 loss to the Bengals.

Watson will soon undergo surgery, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the team has not announced the results of imaging tests taken on his leg.

It’s the second significant injury in two seasons for Watson, who broke the glenoid (socket) bone in his throwing shoulder last year.

The 29-year-old Watson went down without being touched on a draw play late in the first half. His right leg buckled and Watson collapsed to the turf. TV replays showed his calf rippling, consistent with an Achilles injury.

As he laid on the ground, there was cheering by some Cleveland fans, leading to some of Watson’s teammates criticizing that behavior during the team’s fifth straight loss.

The injury is yet another twist in Watson’s divisive stay with the Browns.

Cleveland traded three first-round draft picks to Houston and signed him to a fully guaranteed $230 million in 2022. The deal came amid Watson being accused by more than two dozen women of sexual assault and harassment during massage therapy sessions. He settled civil lawsuits in all but one of those cases.

Watson was suspended by the NFL for his first 11 games with the Browns and then made just six starts last season before hurting his shoulder.

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The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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