Wurstfest cancellation big blow to nonprofit groups
NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas โ When New Braunfels Little League President Paul Naizer heard Wurstfest would be canceled for 2020 over concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic, he understood. With more than 200,000 attendees that come through over 10 days, the groups can raise much - even all - of the money they need to operate for the year. โBut not knowing whatโs going on with this pandemic, itโs really hard to see how weโre going to make money. Brit King, president of the Downtown Rotary Club of New Braunfels, said Wurstfest isnโt the biggest of its four fundraisers. The Wurstfest Association has said that fundraising plans to support the nonprofit organizations that normally work Wurstfest would be announced in the coming weeks.
Trump, Mariano Rivera mark Opening Day at White House
WASHINGTON President Donald Trump recruited Baseball Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera to help mark baseball's Opening Day with a group of Little League players at the White House on Thursday. Riveras old team was in Washington to open up Major League Baseballs abbreviated season Thursday night against the defending champion Nationals. Trump, for his part, said he'd been invited to toss out the opening pitch on Aug. 15 at Yankee Stadium. The president praised Major League Baseball for moving forward. I think Major League Baseball is setting an example by playing to empty stadiums.
Forget pro, college sports: Why the absence of youth sports might have biggest impact of all
Little League International, which announced the move, also canceled regional tournaments but said the events would return in 2021. By contrast, the NFL, the worldโs most affluent professional sports league, generated roughly $16 billion in 2018, according to USA Today. Major League Baseball generated $10.7 billion in 2019 and the NBA nearly $8 billion in 2018, according to Forbes, so youth sports generated more money than those leagues combined. The owner of Michigan Elite Volleyball Academy in suburban Detroit, an organization thatโs home to 150 youth volleyball teams and has produced numerous Division I college volleyball players over the years, Sack had been, as usual, making preparations for the clubโs signature event. โYou go from ramping up to this.โCancellations of such big youth sports events have a serious trickle-down effect, too.