At the time of LSEAU Fight Night, sports leagues around the world were coming to a halt. Italian sports had already shut down and administrations around the globe were exploring the option of fixtures proceeding as normal without fans in attendance. However, on March 11th, as an NBA player from the Utah Jazz tested positive for COVID-19, NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver, suspended the American basketball season until further notice. Silver was hailed as a sports leader and many other national leagues followed suit from the NHL to the NCAA (the organization that facilitates collegiate athletics in the US). In the UK, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta tested positive on March 12th, prompting the Premier League to thereby suspend its operations.
Meanwhile, LSE AU Fight Night proceeded in its grandeur. I was surprised to learn of the prestigious history of York Hall, as it is relatively small and is inside a recreational center. However, it has a rich history of boxing. Lennox Lewis, for example, fought at York Hall in 1990, just two years before he claimed his first world heavyweight title.
I appreciated that Fight Night was not solely for members of Boxing. It seemed fitting that the last sporting event that we could attend for the foreseeable future had participants from many sports and featured both men and women.
Spencer Baxter is a student of University of Michigan, where 100,000 fans fill the stadium, The Big House, every Saturday in the fall to watch American football. Baxter remarked on what he enjoyed about LSE Fight Night, saying “It was fascinating seeing one side screaming after a big punch and then it’d shift to the other side screaming a moment later. The fans really helped create a lively atmosphere.”
My favorite fight was between members of Men’s Rugby and Men’s Football. I sat in the section between the two teams and it was exhilarating to witness them standing and cheering for their team member. Rugby and football also dressed more formally for the occasion, something I have not seen at any sporting event from fans, aside from team executives.
While LSE Rugby was able to participate in one final tournament on Saturday following Fight Night, I was already being shipped home to America due to the outbreak. Nonetheless, I am happy that my last in-person sporting event was an event with such an incredible fan atmosphere like that of Fight Night.
As sports face the possibility of playing in front of empty stadiums for a little while, it is up to us as fans to think about how we can still be as lively, connected, and part of the atmosphere from our own homes.
