Thread by @Forbes

Major sports leagues lost a jaw-dropping amount of money in 2020:
on.forbes.com/6014HWzv0 by @JustBirny

Even with the return of the NHL and NBA in their “bubbles,” MLB’s shortened season and months of mostly fan-free NFL Sundays, the revenue losses for the NCAA and the four major U.S. sports leagues have now hit at least $14.1 billion so far, according to Forbes estimates

And that doesn’t include the hit to the players. Total earnings for the Forbes 100 Highest-Paid Athletes fell for the first time in four years in 2020

In terms of team sports, baseball players were the hardest hit

Two star boxers took massive individual blows: Canelo Alvarez and Anthony Joshua each missed out on a $30 million payday when their respective May and June bouts were canceled

Now, along with spring, hope is returning. The NBA All-Star Game, which just missed cancellation last February, will take place Sunday in Atlanta, though still without fans

March Madness starts March 18. Baseball’s opening day—and a planned full season of 162 games—begins April 1. Golf’s Masters tournament will follow days later, only five months after the postponed 2020 version was played

Still, the comeback will be slow, says Chris Bevilacqua, who has made a career of negotiating sports media rights deals. Bringing fans back is key. Read the full story here: on.forbes.com/6014HWzv0