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Columbus just held three sporting events with 17k-18k people at each event, all in one day.  Are we going to start banning spectators at all hockey, basketball, and soccer events as well?  Maybe cancel all those Clippers games too?

Very Stable Genius

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  • cbussoccer
    cbussoccer

    2023 Arnold Sports Festival saw return of pre-pandemic crowds, spending   https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2023/03/22/arnold-sports-festival-returns-2023-pre-pandemic.html  

  • cbussoccer
    cbussoccer

    I was downtown Saturday afternoon/evening for the Crew game, and holy cow was the city hopping. We had some food and beers at Barley's on High in the afternoon and people were everywhere. It appeared

  • cbussoccer
    cbussoccer

    Columbus sells the most tickets in the country for the first and second rounds of March Madness men's basketball tournament   https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2023/03/21/march-madne

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13 minutes ago, DarkandStormy said:

Columbus just held three sporting events with 17k-18k people at each event, all in one day.  Are we going to start banning spectators at all hockey, basketball, and soccer events as well?  Maybe cancel all those Clippers games too?

 

I know you are being somewhat facetious, but it wouldn't surprise me. It's happening in Italy right now. I think the idea behind canceling the Arnold is that you have people coming from all over the place, even different countries. So, in theory, that will increase the risk of causing an "outbreak" here. When it comes to the Crew/CBJ games, most people attending living in Central Ohio. If the "officials" are confident we don't have any cases here, the risk of an infected person(s) spreading it to thousands of people in a small space is much lower than it would be at the Arnold.

 

Of note, the Crew are playing in Seattle this Saturday. Last I heard, there is still a possibility they could close the doors to the game. 

19 hours ago, cbussoccer said:

 

I know you are being somewhat facetious, but it wouldn't surprise me. It's happening in Italy right now. I think the idea behind canceling the Arnold is that you have people coming from all over the place, even different countries. So, in theory, that will increase the risk of causing an "outbreak" here. When it comes to the Crew/CBJ games, most people attending living in Central Ohio. If the "officials" are confident we don't have any cases here, the risk of an infected person(s) spreading it to thousands of people in a small space is much lower than it would be at the Arnold.

 

It does seem like the Arnold is being singled out because of its international nature - fairly or unfairly.  I think that Arnold contestants come from 32 different countries - including some of the most heavily effected countries like China, Iran and Italy.  We might look back and see the Arnold spectator ban as an over-reaction, but right now it seems prudent.

Think this looks like the final update on spectator status for the non-cancelled Arnold events:

 

Governor Issues Order Allowing Spectator Attendance to Arnold Sports Festival Finals

 

The governor's order allows spectators at the following events on Friday, March 6 and Saturday, March 7 in the Battelle Grand at the Columbus Convention Center:

  • Fitness International Finals (Friday)
  • Figure International Finals (Friday)
  • Women’s Physique Finals (Friday)
  • Classic Physique Finals (Friday)
  • Men’s Physique Finals (Saturday)
  • Arnold Classic Finals (Saturday)
  • Arnold Strongman Classic (Saturday)
  • Bikini International Finals (Saturday)

Around 20 athletes from China, Iran, Italy, Japan and South Korea — the countries that have seen the largest amount of coronavirus cases — will not participate.  An expected 22,000 athletes from nearly 80 countries have planned to take part.  Bob Lorimer, son of event founder Jim Lorimer, said there are already 10,000 athletes currently in Columbus for the competition and turning them away would be a “travesty.”

 

MORE:  https://www.columbusunderground.com/arnold-sports-festival-postponed-arnold-classic-still-happening-tm1

Last weekend, the Arnold got massively scaled down due to coronavirus concerns and a governor's order that limited spectators.

 

For the next two weekends, it looks like those same concerns will massively scale down the high school state championship tournaments scheduled in Columbus.

 

Today, the governor's office issued a recommendation that large indoor sporting events in Ohio should not permit spectators, as the state seeks to contain the spread of the coronavirus.  The Ohio High School Athletic Association then announced that it would limit spectators at all of its winter sports tournaments.  This would include the following OHSAA tournaments:

  • The girls basketball state tournament that begins Thursday at St. John Arena
  • The wrestling state tournament that begins Friday at the Value City Arena
  • The ice hockey state tournament that begins Saturday morning at Nationwide Arena
  • The boys basketball state tournament that begins Thursday next week at Value City Arena

More about this story at https://www.thisweeknews.com/sports/20200310/ohsaa-says-tournaments-will-have-rsquolimited-spectatorsrsquo-to-contain-coronavirus-spread

Some of the biggest event cancellations so far:

  • All state high school tournaments scheduled for this weekend and next weekend (mentioned in the previous post)
  • CBJ games scheduled for tonight and Saturday (NHL season on hiatus)
  • Crew game scheduled for Saturday (MLS season on hiatus)
  • Zac Brown Band concert scheduled for Friday at Nationwide Arena (they put their entire tour on hold)
  • Columbus Auto Show scheduled for next weekend in the Convention Center
  • UFC Columbus scheduled for March 28 at Nationwide Arena

All of Columbus Metropolitan Library's branches, along with the Columbus Museum of Art, will close amid the coronavirus pandemic, the institutions announced Friday.  The library will close all of its branches at 6 p.m. Friday through at least April 6, it announced on its website.

 

Meanwhile, the Columbus Museum of Art and Pizzuti Collection will temporarily close for three weeks to the public after Saturday, March 14, as the result of health and government recommendations.

 

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2020/03/13/columbus-libraries-art-museum-to-close-amid.html

Columbus convention center considers furloughing workers, shutting down parts of facility

 

Now that the coronavirus threat is a pandemic and the state issued a ban on mass gatherings of 100 people or more, the executive who leads the Greater Columbus Convention Center is staring down a new reality.  Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority Executive Director Don Brown said, "we essentially will operate for a month and a half with no revenue. Everything we've had on the books for March and April pretty much is canceled."

 

Even worse, March and April were "expected to be two of the strongest months in the year," Brown said.  The convention center could lose as much as $900,000 in revenue in those two months – but that's only the beginning of the impact on Central Ohio's $7 billion tourism industry.

 

Brown said about 200 positions might have to be cut temporarily to cut down on expenses.  That could mean temporary furloughs or layoffs. ... Additionally, Brown and his team are considering closing down at least part of the massive convention center along High Street.  "We're assessing how we can partially close sections of the building and how we can right-size our operations to deal with a condition where we have no revenue coming in and just operating expenses."

 

MORE:  https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2020/03/13/columbus-convention-center-considers-furloughing.html

  • 3 weeks later...
On 3/5/2020 at 3:39 PM, DarkandStormy said:

Columbus just held three sporting events with 17k-18k people at each event, all in one day.  Are we going to start banning spectators at all hockey, basketball, and soccer events as well?  Maybe cancel all those Clippers games too?

 

Yes. 

 

In other news, I wonder how long Stonewall will hold out with all the major June festivals cancelled. 

26 minutes ago, DTCL11 said:

Yes. 

 

In other news, I wonder how long Stonewall will hold out with all the major June festivals cancelled. 

 

Yep, poor take by me.  Gotta own it.

Very Stable Genius

59 minutes ago, DarkandStormy said:

 

Yep, poor take by me.  Gotta own it.

 

It's ok. It was honestly a valid point that many of my own friends wondered at the time. It was a bit lopsided for a moment on what was cancelled and what was not. 

  • 2 weeks later...

So of course all concerts are cancelled until further notice.  But here are some of the biggest concerts cancelled so far this year:

 

-- Sonic Temple Music Festival at MAPFRE in May

-- Buckeye Country Superfest at Ohio Stadium in June

(And most tragic of all)

-- No Biebs in the Shoe (August)

CU has produced its annual comprehensive listing of festivals in Columbus and Central Ohio for 2020.  Of course, the coronavirus is making this year's listing unlike any other year's listing.  Almost every festival listing for May and June is either cancelled or postponed.  The cancellations/postponements haven't fully impacted the July events (yet) or the following months (yet).

 

Below is the link to the CU Festival Guide:

 

The Ultimate Guide to Festivals in Columbus For 2020 -- https://www.columbusunderground.com/the-ultimate-festival-guide-for-2020-ae1

  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

 

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Pelotonia ditches traditional ride for 2020: Here's what's happening instead

 

Pelotonia, the annual bike ride that raises money for cancer research, has been "redefined" by its organizers as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.  Instead of the traditional three-day race weekend where thousands of riders converge together, the organization will ask participants to take part in what it's calling "My Pelotonia," and engage in personal challenges at home and throughout the community.

 

"That just was the right decision given the information we have," Pelotonia CEO Doug Ulman told Columbus Business First. "One of the things that’s so important for us is not to put someone with cancer, a survivor, or their family in any situation where it might compromise their health."  Also, Ulman said, Pelotonia didn't want to execute a mass gathering that would require the help of police officers, first responders, EMS and health professionals who are currently dealing with the pandemic.

 

The My Pelotonia program will launch June 2 and allow participants to "define inspiring personal challenges and fundraising goals."  In addition, on the weekend of Aug. 7 - when the race was supposed to take place - Pelotonia will celebrate the efforts with a live broadcast modeled after its traditional opening ceremony program.

 

MORE:  https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2020/05/19/my-pelotonia-how-the-annual-bike-ride-will-look.html

Ohio cancels state fair to prevent the spread of coronavirus

 

Ohioans will have to wait until 2021 for butter cows, deep-fried everything and larger-than-life swine: the Ohio State Fair is canceled this year.

 

The Ohio Expositions Commission announced Thursday that it would cancel the fair, originally scheduled for July 29 through August 9 in Columbus.

 

MORE:  https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2020/05/21/ohio-cancels-state-fair.html

6 hours ago, Columbo said:

Ohio cancels state fair to prevent the spread of coronavirus

 

Ohioans will have to wait until 2021 for butter cows, deep-fried everything and larger-than-life swine: the Ohio State Fair is canceled this year.

 

The Ohio Expositions Commission announced Thursday that it would cancel the fair, originally scheduled for July 29 through August 9 in Columbus.

 

MORE:  https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2020/05/21/ohio-cancels-state-fair.html

 

You never know what you might find at the Ohio State Fair.  Below is a reddit thread that contains an August 13, 1983 video of Mike Tyson fighting in the Ohio State Fair amateur boxing tournament(!)

 

Now, this is not the dominant Iron Mike Tyson that would become world famous.  In 1983, he was only 17 and facing a 20-year-old who was much taller than him.  Although Tyson still knocked the guy down in the third round!

 

The Columbus Recreation and Parks Department has sponsored this tournament at the Ohio State Fair for 54 years.

 

Mike Tyson fought as an amateur at the Ohio State Fair:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Columbus/comments/gnqd58/mike_tyson_fought_as_an_amateur_at_the_ohio_state/

I have a feeling that this will be the model for all the county fairs in Ohio this summer:

 


Smaller-scale Franklin County Fair planned but not for general public

 

A 2020 Franklin County Fair is expected, but it will not look like fairs of the past century, with Ferris wheels and cotton candy.  In fact, it won’t be open to the general public, according to Stephanie Rauschenbach, a spokeswoman for the fair.  Only 4-H and other youth exhibitors and their immediate family members will be permitted, she said.  The number of family members permitted on the fairgrounds hasn’t yet been determined.

 

A modified Junior Fair exhibition will be staged, but the fair won’t have a midway or grandstand activities, amusement rides or commercial vendors as a result of the COVID-19 coronavirus, Rauschenbach said.  For now, the scheduled eight-day run of the 103rd Franklin County Fair will remain unchanged and will be held July 18 to 25 at the Franklin County Fairgrounds in Hilliard.

 

MORE:  https://www.thisweeknews.com/news/20200521/updated-smaller-scale-franklin-county-fair-planned-but-not-for-general-public

  • 2 weeks later...

Because of COVID-19, this thread has turned into a series of notifications about the postponement and/or cancellation of most 2020 summer events.  One of those postponements was the nationally televised Memorial Tournament, which is normally held in June.  Today we got some surprising good news about The Memorial.

 

The first bit of good news was that The Memorial Tournament will be held in 2020.  The PGA announced it will be rescheduled to July 16-19.  The second bit of good news is that a second tournament will be held at the Jack Nicklaus designed Muirfield Village golf course one week prior to The Memorial on July 9-12.  This pre-Memorial golf tournament would take the place on the PGA schedule of the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois.  Both tournaments would be held without fans but would be nationally televised by CBS:

 

https://www.dispatch.com/sports/20200602/muirfield-village-will-host-second-pga-tour-golf-tournament

  • 2 weeks later...
On 6/2/2020 at 7:58 PM, Columbo said:

Because of COVID-19, this thread has turned into a series of notifications about the postponement and/or cancellation of most 2020 summer events.  One of those postponements was the nationally televised Memorial Tournament, which is normally held in June.  Today we got some surprising good news about The Memorial.

 

The first bit of good news was that The Memorial Tournament will be held in 2020.  The PGA announced it will be rescheduled to July 16-19.  The second bit of good news is that a second tournament will be held at the Jack Nicklaus designed Muirfield Village golf course one week prior to The Memorial on July 9-12.  This pre-Memorial golf tournament would take the place on the PGA schedule of the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois.  Both tournaments would be held without fans but would be nationally televised by CBS:

 

https://www.dispatch.com/sports/20200602/muirfield-village-will-host-second-pga-tour-golf-tournament

 

Turns out that the Memorial Tournament will have a limited number of fans:  https://www.dispatch.com/sports/20200607/memorial-tournament-can-have-fans-but-will-they-come

 

From the Dispatch article: "Muirfield Village golf club got the go-ahead to allow a limited number of fans to attend the Memorial Tournament on July 16-19, becoming the first PGA Tour event to be played with spectators since the coronavirus pandemic shut down most American sports, in mid-March.  A maximum of about 8,000 spectators will be permitted on the 18-hole course at any one time, according to the plan prepared by tournament organizers.  The 8,000 spectator number is about 20% of maximum capacity."

 

"Each hole will include designated sitting or standing corrals, through which a predetermined number of spectators will be permitted.  Each corral will be marked with a maximum number of fans and will be monitored.  Nonsurgical masks will be required upon entry for all attendees, with exempted exceptions recognized.  Temperature readings will be conducted at all entrances and to all those on the property through handheld units and thermal temperature readers."

 

"There will be no on-site bleachers.  Players will be advised to not interact with fans.  All general public shuttle transport will be eliminated.  Media will be limited to 25% of typical attendance, and there will be a 50% reduction in CBS and the Golf Channel’s on-site crew."

Another nationally broadcast sports tournament will be coming to Columbus in July:

 

The Basketball Tournament will be played in Columbus, air live on ESPN

 

The Basketball Tournament, a winner-take-all affair for a seven-figure sum to be held next month, will become the first live televised basketball competition in America since the coronavirus pandemic sidelined sporting events around the world in March.

 

Featuring former college stars and overseas standouts, the TBT will be held at Nationwide Arena, home of the Columbus Blue Jackets, for a 24-team tournament in Columbus, Ohio, from July 4-14, event officials announced on Thursday.

 

Now in its seventh year, the TBT prize will be $1 million and the event will air on ESPN, which recently agreed to a three-year extension to televise the TBT, and its family of networks.  Carmen's Crew, a group of former Ohio State players, will seek to defend its 2019 title after defeating the Golden Eagles Alumni, a group of former Marquette standouts, in the championship game.

 

MORE:  https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/29296940/the-basketball-tournament-played-columbus-air-live-espn

  • 2 weeks later...
On 6/11/2020 at 12:58 PM, Columbo said:

The Basketball Tournament will be played in Columbus, air live on ESPN

 

The Basketball Tournament, a winner-take-all affair for a seven-figure sum to be held next month, will become the first live televised basketball competition in America since the coronavirus pandemic sidelined sporting events around the world in March.

 

Featuring former college stars and overseas standouts, the TBT will be held at Nationwide Arena, home of the Columbus Blue Jackets, for a 24-team tournament in Columbus, Ohio, from July 4-14, event officials announced on Thursday.

 

Now in its seventh year, the TBT prize will be $1 million and the event will air on ESPN, which recently agreed to a three-year extension to televise the TBT, and its family of networks.  Carmen's Crew, a group of former Ohio State players, will seek to defend its 2019 title after defeating the Golden Eagles Alumni, a group of former Marquette standouts, in the championship game.

 

MORE:  https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/29296940/the-basketball-tournament-played-columbus-air-live-espn

 

TBT 2020 tipped off yesterday in Nationwide Arena:

Interesting how they handled the no-spectator arena environment.  On the three sides viewable on TV, they hung gigantic black curtains with a huge TBT bracket in the middle and colorful banners filling out the rest of the space:

 

The pre-Memorial golf tournament (Workday Charity Open) held this weekend at Muirfield before the rescheduled Memorial Tournament this week - produced a thrilling finish:

 

I've gotten into watching The Basketball Tournament the past few years because of the OSU Alumni team involved in it, and the games are broadcast on ESPN.  The OSU alum team made a deep run one year and then won it all last year.  This year the OSU team got bounced in their first game.☹️

 

But the TBT games are some fun basketball to watch -- a combo of college and pro rules with some talented alums that play internationally.  Plus, with the pandemic shutting down the sports world, an oasis of live sports this summer.  The TBT organizers did an excellent job setting up Nationwide Arena for the broadcasts, and did an excellent job keeping everyone safe.  Tonight's championship game broadcast said there were over 12,000 tests done with only 3 positive results (which caused the elimination of two teams due to the strict covid protocols at the tournament).

 

In the early games, an unlikely folk hero emerged in Ot Elmore of the Herd That team of Marshall alums:

But then Ot came up against Iso Joe -- 39-year-old Joe Johnson, a 7x NBA All-Star who put up 35 points for his Overseas Elite team to eliminate Herd That:

But then Mo Creek of Sideline Cancer sidelined Overseas Elite to advance to tonight's championship game:

But it was the Golden Eagles team of Marquette alums that won it all on this Elam Ending shot:

 

First day of the four-day Memorial Tournament:

 

The only big local events in Central Ohio lately have been nationally televised sporting events - like the TBT in Nationwide Arena and the Workday Charity Open at Muirfield in the past two weeks.  This weekend, the biggest one - The Memorial - finished up at Muirfield on Sunday.  Spaniard Jon Rahm won the rescheduled Memorial with this clutch chip on the 16th hole of Sunday's final round.  He had two double bogeys on the back nine that dropped his lead from seven to three strokes until this chip for a birdie on the 16th that raised his lead back to four.

 

Central Ohioans like to joke that if we need rain, just schedule The Memorial and we'll get some.  This rescheduled 2020 Memorial occurred in the heart of summer instead of one of our rainier months.  But the joke still held true.  The final round had a brief weather delay just after the CBS broadcast began at 3:30PM.

 

To fill the weather delay time, CBS' Jim Nantz interviewed Jack Nicklaus.  Nicklaus disclosed that he and his wife, Barbara, had tested positive for COVID-19.  Nicklaus said he and his wife self-isolated at their home in south Florida from March 13 to April 20.  Fortunately, Barbara was asymptomatic and Jack only had mild symptoms (sore throat and cough), and the two 80-year-olds are now doing fine:

 

https://www.golfchannel.com/news/jack-nicklaus-announces-he-and-wife-barbara-contracted-covid-19-march

  • 2 weeks later...

All American Quarter Horse Congress canceled amid Covid-19 pandemic -- https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2020/07/27/quarter-horse-congress.html

 

Not a surprise given the current environment, but one of the largest annual events in Columbus and Central Ohio is canceling its 2020 visit.  The All American Quarter Horse Congress that is held at the Ohio Expo Center during September and October has been canceled this year because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

 

The nearly month-long event was slated to bring about 650,000 attendees to Columbus from September 29 to October 25.  The Quarter Horse Association says that the event generates $409 million in economic impact for Central Ohio.

  • 1 month later...
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  • 1 month later...

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2021/03/29/cosi-sets-the-stage-for-june-reopening.html

 

COSI will reopen on June 3, Thursday-Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

 

Last year, the science museum closed March 13 and had scheduled reopening dates for July and November, only to cancel them as coronavirus cases continued to rise in Central Ohio.

 

COSI said it added a new air sterilization system that uses UV-C light, which reacts with a catalyst and moisture in the air to produce a safe, ionized hydro-peroxide that kills germs and viruses.  The science museum said guests, including members, must reserve an admission ticket online to ensure social distancing inside COSI and all visitors 6 and older must wear face coverings.

  • 2 weeks later...

The 2021 Ohio State Fair will be closed to the public.

 

The Ohio Expositions Commission announced on Thursday that the fair – originally scheduled for July 28 through August 8 in Columbus – will be limited to livestock and educational competitions for youth, their families and friends:

 

https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/2021/04/08/ohio-state-fair-not-open-public-summer/7140714002/

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2021/04/08/ohio-state-fair-canceled-again.html

However, there are some signs of a return of normalcy on the entertainment front:

 

Country singer-songwriter Eric Church will kick off the return to live concerts at Nationwide Arena with a performance scheduled for September 18.  In the Dispatch article (linked below) the spokesman for Columbus Arena and Sports Entertainment said the expectation is that full capacity will be permitted for the Sept. 18 event, as well as others to come in the fall and throughout 2022.

 

https://www.dispatch.com/story/entertainment/2021/04/07/concerts-return-nationwide-arena-singer-songwriter-eric-church/7121421002/

And also on the sports entertainment front:

 

OSU Spring Football Game:  19,180 spectators will be allowed at the spring football game on April 17, with about 10,000 given to front-line pandemic workers -- https://www.dispatch.com/story/football/2021/04/08/ohio-state-football-spring-game-capacity-capped-just-under-20-000/7138503002/

 

Columbus Crew:  The Crew has been permitted to allow up to 5,180 fans at Crew Stadium beginning with the MLS season opener on April 18.  This is up from the 1,500 fans allowed last season, including the Eastern Conference Final and MLS Cup. -- https://www.dispatch.com/story/sports/2021/04/08/columbus-crew-increases-capacity-5-180-fans-starting-april-18/7144405002/

 

Columbus Blue Jackets:  Nationwide Arena has been allowed up to 25% capacity, approximately 4,000 fans, since March.

 

Columbus Clippers:  Up to 1,000 fans will be permitted for the Clippers' preseason exhibition games at Huntington Park beginning April 16.  The regular-season home opener is May 11. -- https://www.dispatch.com/story/sports/2021/04/08/columbus-clippers-fans-allowed-attend-preseason-games/7144181002/

  • 4 weeks later...
On 4/20/2020 at 9:11 PM, Columbo said:

So of course all concerts are cancelled until further notice.  But here are some of the biggest concerts cancelled so far this year:

 

-- Sonic Temple Music Festival at MAPFRE in May

-- Buckeye Country Superfest at Ohio Stadium in June

(And most tragic of all)

-- No Biebs in the Shoe (August)

 

Stay strong Beliebers:

 

https://www.dispatch.com/story/entertainment/2021/05/06/justin-bieber-perform-value-city-arena-may-16-2022/4976914001/

Breakaway Music Festival returning to Columbus in September

Hayleigh Colombo - Columbus Business Journal - May 13, 2021

 

"The Breakaway Music Festival is coming back to Columbus this fall. After a one-year hiatus because of Covid-19, organizer Prime Social Group announced that the festival will take place at the old Crew Stadium Sept. 3-4."

 

 

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