What Will Competitions Be Like In 2021?

Thoughts?

 

I am thinking everything will need to go virtual in some way unless the comp is very very small.

Majors was first to announce but there will be others.

I don't know that we will see true in person events return til closer to this time next season. Or the start of 2022 January comps.

I'd love to be wrong, but cheer is really at the mercy of the cities and venues. It's telling that for example, the entire Broadway show industry is closed until like May 2021.

 

I say this all the time, the cities are the ones that are going to want to open venues. There are some places like sports complexes in more remote locations starting to open up but for the most part we will be at the mercy of the cities with their venues. Only time will tell.

 

Double Down next month seems to still be on. Moved to a bigger venue. Gym is getting matching masks for all the athletes. (They already wear masks at practice but not matching.)

 

I believe everything will go virtual- specifically because of venues not allowing large gatherings.

 

Broadway is a close to 2 billion dollar business, and for that to remain closed is INCREDIBLY damaging. That's how serious this all still is. We'd go up like a powder keg- again.

Virtual through the end of this season is incredibly likely (because even with a vaccine the number of doses won't be high enough for months). Next fall is a different story, although not out of the realm of possibility.

 

I think it's going to boil down to what the state Governor allows based on CDC guidelines, if Varsity/EP can abide with the guidelines, and what the outbreak numbers look like around the comps. In Atlanta, the GWCC is now open for events.

From the GWCC:
It is GWCCA’s expectation that the public will follow guidelines established and published by the Governor’s Office and the CDC. Similarly, our expectation is for the public to self-govern and be responsible for their own wellbeing. We are prepared to work with customers to achieve the desired room layouts, while adhering to current CDC guidelines.

From the CDC on sport events:
Spectators at sporting events should consider the number of COVID-19 cases both where they live and where the sporting event is taking place before deciding to attend. The higher the transmission of COVID-19 in the community, the higher the risk of transmission of COVID-19 at sporting events.

CDC has not recommended a specific limit on the number of people that are safe to attend a sporting event. People who plan to go to a sporting event should contact the sporting program to find out whether seating arrangements and event logistics allow people to stay at least 6 feet apart and the maximum number of attendees the program will allow. <click here>

In general, the number that can attend should allow groups from different households to remain at least 6 feet apart from each other. Rather than focusing on an ideal number, emphasis should be placed on the ability to reduce and limit contact between people. If the safety measures implemented by the sports program do not allow people to remain at least 6 feet apart, people attending sporting events should consider alternate ways of participating in the sporting event. Before attending a sporting event, people who plan on going should learn more about risks involved when deciding to go out. <click here>

 

I see them being mostly virtual here. Not only is it difficult to travel from province to province, but it can be a struggle inside your own. If it is not possible for teams to travel, it is not possible for judges either.

 

My guess is when live competitions happen, if there is no vaccine and COVID is still out of control, a first step would be to do Program Scheduling vs Division Scheduling. So your gym would perform let's say between 10AM-11AM amount a few other gyms vs spread out throughout the day and then awards will be virtual. That way you are at the venue and with minimal amounts programs at a time. Just my wild guess though.

 

Many families are also dealing with job losses, furloughs, and layoffs. The economic impact is still manifesting. This is in addition to many families simply not feeling comfortable with massive crowds. Unfortunately, the cheer industry is going to shrink. Competitions are not going to have the numbers they used to have. The industry is going to have to adapt to this new environment.

 

The GWCC was a makeshift hospital during the first wave. If we see a resurgence in cases and serious hospital overflow, it's very likely that we may see them use it again. This is especially true if we have a situation with high flu cases and a 2nd wave of covid in the metro Atlanta area. February is during the height of flu season. So there is a good amount of uncertainty here. I know that it's not the rosy picture of recovery. However, it's something that has to be considered in planning. It would really be awful if families booked hotels, paid fees, and booked travel only to have it all fall apart last minute.

 

I hope not! I don't believe cheer should be asking us to travel at all if that is the case, not until majority of states are at a minimum stable and rates are decreasing. I've said it in other threads but I don't see who this benefits? Convention centers wouldn't make money on concessions, and could they really charge the same entrance fee for that type of experience? Asking families to spend money, take the risk of traveling, then have to occupy the whole rest of the day in a city that is not their own while social distancing seems completely unnecessary. And, in that scenario videos would probably all go through Varsity/Flocheer.

I know this is all day to day and I am trying to go with the flow and be flexible, but this whole situation is disconcerting to me. On one hand it seems we are all waiting on Varsity to make the decisions and be in charge and the other hand I read articles questioning whether athlete safety has always been the top driver in their decision making. I would imagine they have the most to lose if the season is all virtual. States and regional health departments have their own guidance already, and that is already available for more early season decisions to be made. Note the sports - both pro and collegiate - which travel also have rigorous testing. Has that been discussed at all for cheer competitions?

I hope this is the case.

 

No one is debating uncertainty here, I just stated the GWCC is back open for events and also posted the current statements from the CDC on sporting events which does not designate a specific population limit, but states it's more important to consider the outbreak numbers of where you live, the destination you're going to, and the ability to socially distance yourself from others. The link I posted on the GWCC talks about the 200 bed, alternative care unit in Building A that takes a few days to set up and around 5 days to disinfect and take down in the FAQ. As I said before, if the Convention Centers are open for events, if Varsity/EP's are able to comply with the CDC guidelines, and gyms/staff are willing to go, comps will happen....that's still a lot of "ifs." I do believe if any area will be open for comps, it will be the Southeast where the Governors and residents have been more receptive to the less restrictive side of CDC guidelines versus those in other states.

 

less receptive to guidelines may not be better for the future.

 

That's the other part. Even if we're in a good place vaccine-wise and numbers have started dropping, so many people have been out of work for so long it'll take at least a few years for things to get back to how they were..less people in gyms willing/able to travel far and often.