The coronavirus pandemic shook up the sports world on Thursday, as events across the country were cancelled or postponed due to growing concerns of the COVID-19 virus. After the NBA’s decision to suspend its season, the NHL followed suit, MLB pushed back Opening Day by two weeks and the NCAA cancelled its men’s and women’s tournaments. Events and gatherings around the world were also cancelled or postponed in the NFL, golf, tennis and soccer, and as a result, the sports world will go dark for the foreseeable future.
With the influx of sudden cancellations, the scenes around the country were unusual and eerie: empty stadiums during games; impromptu trophy celebrations after suspended tournaments; fans wearing masks with their team gear; and people exiting arenas after games were cancelled mid-competition.