Coronavirus Update: Long-Time Bay Area Executive Andy Dolich Wants Sports Back In 2021
(KPIX 5) -- Decisions are looming for leaders of various American sports leagues on how to proceed with their seasons in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.
To play or not to play? With fans or without fans? These are the questions facing commissioners, owners and players as the suspended seasons start to encroach on next year's schedule.
The decision is clear-cut to former Bay Area professional sports executive Andy Dolich: skip everything in 2020.
"I would like to see a united nations of sports," Dolich said. "They should come together and say, "We're taking a time out in 2020 to get us too to a better place in 2021.'"
Dolich spent 14 years in the A's front office before transitioning to the NBA and later the 49ers. He focused on marketing, and successfully built a better product for Bay Area fans.
Games without a crowd are not appealing to Dolich who cultivated a career on getting as many butts in the seats as possible.
Last week The Athletic reported a plan laid out by the NBA to finish their season on Disney World's 43-square mile property in a bubble environment.
"How well is Draymond Green going to do on Space Mountain," Dolich quipped. "It seems like gimmickry. Does it get us to the point of safety?"
Dolich expressed concern over the hundreds of people who would have to work side-by-side to get the games on TV.
Until there's a vaccine, no plan to bring sports back will be perfect.
