Sports-related businesses hurt by pandemic

With a lack of sporting events due to the coronavirus pandemic, sportswear and equipment stores, sports bars and gyms are facing major financial and operational difficulties.

They said the effects of COVID-19 have caused business to slow down and that their business may not survive another lockdown if there is a second outbreak.

Locker Room Sports, 100 Sports Bar and Grill, and the Fit Farm Fitness Club are some of the sports-affiliated businesses affected by the lack of sports because of the coronavirus.

“It’s been tough, because no revenue – I just have to depend on the past performance of the business and hope that things turn around soon,” Locker Room Sports owner David Shirley said.

Locker Room Sports is responsible for supplying gear to many teams across Jamaica, but Shirley said his business has not been profitable for the past three months.

SECOND-WAVE FEARS

“I have really struggled not to lay off anyone. Let’s see how long I can hold out with that,” he said.

He said that he fears a second wave of the coronavirus may cause more sporting competitions to be cancelled.

“That would be kind of doom and gloom because [it would be] one year without revenue,” he said. “It is a small business [and] I don’t think we could survive.”

Another business concerned about a second wave is 100 Sports Bar and Grill.

“It would really affect the business [and] we might not be able to reopen,” restaurant manager Stephanie Chin said.

She said that business before COVID-19 was “booming” until the country was shut down in March.

Chin stated that though the restaurant has reopened, they had to lay off some workers and keep the sports lounge closed. Chin said this is because of the lack of sporting competitions and events.

“We don’t have enough customers coming in to fill the area,” she said.

Chin said she hopes things will get back to normal by next month and she is awaiting the approval from the general manager to reopen the sporting lounge.

Fit Farm Fitness Club also hopes that business will return to normal soon.

“Business was basically thriving, but like anywhere else in the world, COVID has really affected us in the sense that our members are dreadfully afraid to come out,” said the manager, Chantal Kong.

Kong said the effects of the virus kept her concerned about the reopening of the gym but they had to put in measures such as online workout classes to keep the business going.

Kong said that a second wave of the virus would affect Fit Farm “tremendously”, but it is more important for Jamaicans to keep fit and follow the COVID-19 guidelines of the Government.

“We are really hoping that Jamaicans on a whole would understand that fitness is something that is important to keeping up the immune system,” she said. “Once we get that and we follow the measures and keep within the guidelines of the Government, then we will be OK.”

Sharla Williams