COVID-19對大型競技運動產業的衝擊與啟示──以美國為例

The Impact and Reflections Brought by COVID-19 on Professional Sports Industry: Case Study of the United States

新型冠狀病毒肺炎（COVID-19）在2020年給人類帶來百年最大公衛危機及經濟損失。連號稱全球強權國家的龍頭美國，也成為全球病例感染數及死亡數均排名第一的受災國。本文依據運動社會學家普遍著重的五大構面（文化、法令管理、經濟、環境狀況、及科技）逐一探討COVID-19對美國運動產業之核心事業，特別是觀賞型運動的影響。運動活動與賽事應是COVID-19危機下非必需性的民生產業，但在美國，其巨大的民生產值及文化影響力，促使運動活動與賽事成為美國人生活中不可或缺的一部分。內文除描述在禁閉階段及這一年來美國各大職業聯盟受到的損失外，也著墨運動產業界於此期間在製造商機、教育學子、徵求人才，及關懷社會大眾等事項上的眾多轉變和契機。更重申奠定復工策略時，應重視經濟、政治、及公衛等多方面考量的重要性。最後，期待大家一起思考運動所帶給人們的啟示與社會價值，提醒從事於運動產業的各單位能抓住自我核心價值，齊心協力，帶給社會正向能量！

Since its breakout at the end of 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the most serious public health crisis and the severest economic upheaval in the century. Even the United States, the world’s leading power, has suffered the highest number of infectious cases and deaths during the pandemic among global nations. Based on the five scopes emphasized by sport psychologists, which are culture, rules and regulation, economy, surrounding and situation, and technology, this article explores the impact and reflections brought by COVID-19 on the sports industry, especially spectator sports, in the United States. Sport may not be considered essential regarding people’s livelihood during the pandemic, but it indeed plays an indispensable part in the American society for being a significant economic contributor and a cultural influencer. The authors mainly discussed the financial challenges faced by major American professional sports leagues during the lockdown period. In addition, the authors described how the sports industry created business opportunities, educated students and publics, recruited talents, and cared for the society with the use of creativity and internet and mobile technologies. Furthermore, the authors stressed the importance of taking various aspects, such as economy, politics, and public health, into account regarding the formulation of reopening strategies. Lastly, the authors encourage readers to think about the social values brought by sport and expect everyone in the sports industry to discover their core values and together bring positive energy to the society. We are all on the same boat when dealing with natural disasters and crises, and by remaining strong can we get through this together.