Sports in Europe adjust to new reality

Seasons prolonged

The English Premier League and other top soccer competitions, including those in Spain and Germany, were allowed to end their seasons in June or last month.

However, leagues in other nations canceled their remaining fixtures. France, which was among the countries to abandon professional matches, took the decision in late April to stop playing games for the rest of the season.

The final stages of the UEFA Champions League and Europa League club competitions were simplified and held this month in a knockout tournament format in Portugal and Germany, respectively. The UEFA Women's Champions League was held with a similar format in Spain.

Popular televised sports, which include lucrative broadcast contracts for organizers, have managed to overcome the worst of the economic impact arising from the pandemic.

The United States saw the return of top-level golf this month, with the PGA Championship in San Francisco, which featured the world's top players, broadcast to a wide audience. The tournament went ahead after the British Open and the Ryder Cup in the US were both canceled.