While everyone’s mind is on when will sports return, ESPN’s programming chief spoke about the immediate future in terms of remaining as relevant as possible.

Coronavirus is hitting everyone everywhere. From airlines to cruises, to schools, small businesses, supply chains, restaurants and broadcasting, especially sports broadcasting, even more when major leagues and events like the Olympics, the NBA, the Champions League and future Euro 2020 have been canceled or postponed.

What’s more important: sports returning is a symbolic part of resuming our “normal lives” and restarting the economy. But if we searched for a quick fix of ESPN, we would get nothing but bad news like new football players in Italy and Spain had contracted the disease, or that new training grounds or leagues had been shut off by team administration. News like Tom Brady being released from the New England Patriots after a 20-year career came to refresh the overwhelming saturation of COVID19 news, but later that day, Brooklyn superstar Kevin Durant told The Athletic he was among the players who tested positive for the virus, which forced the world to bite the dust of reality and uncertainty once again. And that vicious cycle has repeated itself over and over, news back to coronavirus. Some electronic leagues and live gameplay of Xbox and PlayStation tournaments have refreshed the stories, even the NFL tried its first ever virtual Draft, which reached a record 55 million viewers over three days on ABC, ESPN, NFL Network, ESPN Deportes and digital channels, per ESPN, but was commented all over the web among Youtube and other social network channels.

Truth states that as the outbreak continues and the downstream effects unravel across sports networks, sports broadcasting is forced into an unprecedented dilemma: How can it reinvent itself and innovate? Does it have to?

ESPN’s programming chief shared his vision for the next few months as the network confronts a gaping hole in its schedule and adjusts for a rebuild.

“We have two simultaneous goals, he writes, one is the immediate future in terms of how we can be as relevant as possible through news and live studio programming in order to frame for sports fans the impact that these unprecedented circumstances are having on the sports world. The second goal is aimed at looking ahead to entertain fans through fun, compelling archival content and/or themed and stunt event programming that will provide a diversion at a time that there are virtually no other live sports to watch.”

“The challenge is that now we need to replicate that dynamic 24 hours a day, seven days a week across multiple networks. That’s what is in front of us in terms of long-range planning.”

This epidemic is forcing forced brands, customers and organizations to rethink the strategy of sports in the face of a pandemic, because when seeing what this can cause, the slate could be epic.

Morning Brew picked out 4 key points from Burke Magnus and his vision for ESPNs future:

1. Continue reporting on coronavirus’s impacts on the sports world.
2. Dip into the archives to air classic games (but this isn’t as easy as it sounds because of complicated rights agreements).
3. Showcase “stunt events” and niche sports like it’s done with its “ESPN8: The Ocho” project.
4. Potentially move up the release date of original programming. Unfortunately, the Michael Jordan doc The Last Dance isn’t ready yet.

When will sports be back?

Sports returning is not only a symbolic part of resuming our “normal lives,” but also a question of restarting the economy, and with these uncertain times buzzing everyday, the question is clear: When will sports be back?

On April 4th, President Trump held a conference call with commissioners and executives from 13 U.S. sports leagues to discuss how that industry has been affected by the global coronavirus pandemic. According to the Associated Press (AP), a person with direct knowledge of what was discussed on the POTUS conference with sports exec leaders said Trump believes the NFL season — scheduled to begin Sept. 10 — will start on time with fans in seats. But that seemed too optimistic for California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who was asked if he thought the NFL season would start on time. A second person with knowledge of the call said some commissioners, Adam Silver, NBA Commissioner, among them, stressed to Trump that they are working on multiple plans to resume their seasons but cautioned none of those plans can be enacted without clearance from public health officials. The NBA was the first of the major U.S. sports leagues to shut down on March 11.

“I want fans back in the arenas,” Trump said later in a briefing at the White House. “We have to get back, we have to get back. Remember that. We have to get back and we have to get back soon.”

Others on the call included PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Roger Penske, UFC President Dana White, World Wrestling Entertainment owner Vince McMahon, MLS Commissioner Don Garber, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Englebert, LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan and Breeders’ Cup President Drew Fleming.

Germany’s Bundesliga soccer league has been approved to resume play in May in arenas without spectators, becoming Europe’s first major league to resume. The earliest possible return date is May 15, which some clubs appeared to confirm, with a May 22 start also considered. The league has nine matchdays remaining, and there is a commitment to finish the season by June 30.

“The eyes of Europe and all of the world will be on us,” Germany and Bayern Munich captain Manuel Neuer wrote in an op-ed in German broadsheet FAZ on Wednesday. The goalkeeper highlighted the responsibility on German football’s shoulders and said it has acted as a role model for society.