How to Get Your Sports Fix While Stuck Inside
By Sara Butler
“There’s no crying in baseball!”
Remember that famous line from Tom Hanks in A League of Their Own? Well, if Hanks could’ve fast-forwarded to 2020 he might see from where he is self-isolated with coronavirus that there is, indeed, crying in baseball -- because there is no baseball! Opening Day for Major League Baseball was supposed to be this week, the NBA season was suspended, and we should be in the midst of the NCAA Final Four tournament, so if fans are shedding a few tears, we understand.
Because live sports have been put on a break, it’s leaving a lot of us hungry for our sports fix. Luckily, there are some solid ways to get your fill from the comfort of your own home -- though I would suggest taking a break at least once per hour to stretch and move around a little. Did you know chiropractors fully endorse the seventh inning stretch?
If you’re looking for some ways to break up the boredom while the sports world is on pause, here are a few things you may want to consider. And the best advice we can give since “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over” is this: The search bar is your friend.
Twitch
If you’re feeling twitchy because you haven’t gotten your normal dose of sports lately, then check out the platform Twitch.tv. It’s a video game streaming website that also hosts other types of content. You can view livestream concerts, search for specific games -- from FIFA to F1 -- and watch videos related to them. In other words, live your sports life through others virtually. Formula One, NASCAR, and Indycar recently conducted events that included active drivers participating online, and here’s a schedule of upcoming races.
Mixer
This is Microsoft’s alternative to Twitch. It’s not as large of a platform, but it has a few fun features to explore that make it a bit more interactive. Plus, you can use it through your Xbox and it allows split-screen streaming with your friends.
YouTube
Regular YouTube has some great videos to explore. You can watch classic NBA and NFL games, soccer, and almost any sports content your little heart desires. May I suggest the 2006 AFC Championship game in which the Indianapolis Colts beat the New England Patriots 38-34 -- a truly great moment in sports history with some amazing catches.
YouTube Gaming
Yes, YouTube is more than videos of children with their own channels who make 800 times your yearly salary. It also offers a gaming channel that has almost 84 million subscribers. It recommends videos to you based on your interests and also sorts videos by popularity. It’s a great channel to explore if you’ve got a little time on your hands.
AXS TV
AXS TV isn’t simply a music channel. They’ve partnered with MMA and other fight leagues across the world to bring you everything from pro wrestling to “best of” videos. There’s a lot of content to go through and hours of entertainment to be had.
Podcasts
Maybe you’re seizing this opportunity at home to do some spring cleaning. As you’re cleaning out your garage or pulling weeds from the garden, you should try downloading a new sports podcast to listen to. There are many intriguing pods you may never have heard of before such as the 30 for 30 Podcast, Sports Wars, The Big Podcast with Shaq, and NPR’s Only a Game. As well, The Ringer NFL Show and The Bill Simmons Podcast are also quite popular with sports fans.
Watch a Sports Movie
Be honest, when was the last time you gave Space Jam a watch? It’s probably been too long. If you’re jonesing for sports content, then you can’t go wrong with a classic sports movie. Think Moneyball, Major League, and Pride of the Yankees, or go offbeat and change sports with something like Cool Runnings. Even Rudy can help to serve as a reminder of hope sports gives us. If you have streaming services, then chances are there’s a sports movie you’ve not watched in a while waiting to entertain you. Google search “great baseball movies” or “great basketball movies” and you’ll have material you can watch daily for months. Hoosiers, anyone?
It is a little depressing that professional sports are on hiatus, but instead of being sad about it, take the time to remind yourself why it is you love sports so much in the first place. Revisit some classic games, make new connections with people over shared platforms, and forget your troubles for a little bit as you remember fondly the smell of hot dogs and popcorn at your very first major league baseball game.
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