This article was originally published on April 10th, 2020.
Here is this week's dose of “5-Point Friday”. A weekly round-up of the sports news and stories that I find most interesting and enjoyable.
Rugby idea I am following -
NRL CEO Todd Greenberg (@Todd_Greenberg) said he is "hellbent" on getting players back on the field, and the NRL's innovation committee, codenamed Project Apollo, has been considering the idea of placing players on a remote island of the coast of Queensland, before being shipped to grounds to play without any contact with the general public.
"It's rugby league's version of 'Love Island' by the sound of it," Greenberg joked on Australia's 'Wide World of Sports' radio show. "We might be able to get additional TV rights with a reality TV show. We're up for any proposal."
Soccer supporter initiative I am enjoying -
German Bundesliga side Borussia Mönchengladbach is giving their supporters the option to order a "life-size cardboard cut-out" of themselves, complete with photos of their faces, to occupy their usual seat at Borussia-Park, if the Bundesliga does restart with games played behind closed doors.
"This way, we will be the first club to bring a bit of life back to our stadium, even if fans actually have to watch from home," wrote supporter organization Fanprojekt Moenchengladbach (FPMG) in an online statement.
Athlete I have been learning about -
Listening to the episode Before The WNBA, There Was Lady Magic from The Lead podcast, I began learning about the amazing career of Nancy Lieberman (@NancyLieberman). This has led me to further research her amazing career and achievement and how she has shaped modern basketball for the NBA, the WNBA, and beyond.
Innovative soccer idea I am enjoying -
German fourth-tier club Lokomotive Leipzig sold more than 100,000 tickets for a match against an "invisible opponent," despite averaging crowds of just 3,000. Lokomotive Leipzig has been selling e-tickets for €1 ($1.09) each for the event, scheduled for 8 May.
They are planning it to help cope with financial pressures resulting from the suspension of soccer in the country, because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Plans for the event currently remain a secret. "There's going to be a live stream from the stadium, the floodlights will be switched on and our internet radio commentators will be working on the game," said a club spokesperson. "I can't tell you more at the moment."
The spokesperson added, "The money will be used to keep Lok running - we have 300 youth players, we need to pay the staff and look after the facilities."
What I have been watching -
This week I started watching The Test: A New Era for Australia’s Team, on Amazon Prime. The docuseries offers a behind-the-scenes look at the Australian Men’s Cricket Team and how they fell from grace and were forced to reclaim their title and integrity.
Have a wonderful weekend, all!
Jonathan
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