Certain types of entertainment likely to out-survive others during pandemic

As previously reported, group face-to-face dance clubs, music competitions, and even theater-style movie venues have switched to new formats because of social distancing, such as live options for the former two through social and video-streaming networks and an up-tick in online streaming and drive-in usage with the latter. This week, several other changes in the entertainment industry have provided insight into the types of entertainment likely to survive during the pandemic:

The Nielsen Corporation announced this week that people are making entertainment choices based on availability, distance, and comfort: Nielsen noted that 60 percent of the people they studied spent more time than usual with entertainment, and 80 percent signed up for some sort of streaming service. More than half of the television shows that people watched were ones they had watched before. The same trend occurred with music: More than 87 percent of people chose music that they knew and loved.

In sports, the biggest changes will involve how fans participate during events. For example, the PGA Tour announced this week that professional golf is returning this summer (June 11-14). Yet, fans will have to watch via live broadcasts only. Other types of sports that involve more players, such as baseball, basketball, and football, might not pick up again any time soon as officials attempt to find ways to make these events safe for players. Sports bars, arcades, and casinos are also likely to not re-open any time soon because of how their customers interact with these environments and each other. Some of these venues are likely to close permanently.

https://wror.com/2020/04/16/the-new-entertainment-trend-is-something-old-and-comforting/

https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/29043783/the-pga-tour-just-gave-us-all-little-hope

https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/04/16/will-dave-busters-survive-the-coronavirus.aspx