There's no denying that times are strange with many countries in full lockdown. People are restricted to their homes and busily occupying themselves with hobbies and the things they love.
COVID-19 may have wreaked havoc on all our lives but for sports fans, there's an extra insult: The cancellation of the Olympics, postponement of Euro 2020, suspension of motorsports, and more. With the majority of major sporting leagues across the globe grinding to a halt, there are fewer live sports to keep us entertained.
Luckily, technology is here to save the day. For those missing their weekly sporting events, there are still a number of ways to stay involved and get a sports fix. Here's our round-up of the best sports documentaries and movies, virtual events, and the best places to watch reruns and sports highlights.
Sports Documentaries and Movies
Plenty of sports-related content has been produced over the years and is ready to fill the void left by live sports. Streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon have catalogs jam-packed with documentaries, movies, and TV shows covering most major sports.
Netflix is definitely the top choice for viewers around the world and offers something for fans of all sports. Check out these sporting streams:
Last Chance U
Now into its fourth season, Last Chance U is a documentary series about community college football teams in the US. Combining a feel-good factor with sports, it focuses on players prevented from realizing their true potential because of difficult backgrounds.
Iverson
This biographical documentary follows Allen Iverson's journey from growing up in poverty to becoming an 11-time NBA All-Star. In his own words, Iverson takes viewers through the highs and lows of his life, both on and off the court.
Icarus
The world of cycling was rocked with the Lance Amstrong doping scandal, but it sent amateur cyclist and documentary filmmaker Bryan Fogel on a mission to see if he could beat the testers. Along the way, he became a key part of exposing state-sponsored doping in Russian sport.
Maradona In Mexico
Soccer legend Diego Maradona attempts to save the Dorados, a soccer team based in a Mexican cartel hot spot and struggling in the league. Maradona's shady past makes him the perfect subject for this docuseries.
Geo-blocked?
Some of the content on popular streaming services is geo-restricted, meaning it can only be accessed by viewers in certain countries. Downloading a VPN can help bypass these restrictions and allow you to stream any content you choose.
Reruns and Highlights
The beauty of YouTube is the amount of content instantly available to stream online.
Relive Super Bowl 51 where the Patriots came back from being down 21-0 to trounce the Falcons 34-28 in jaw-dropping fashion. Watch the historic 'Rumble in the Jungle' when Muhammad Ali took on the undefeated heavyweight champion George Foreman on October 30, 1974. Or how about the mighty Brazilian soccer team beating Italy in a tense 1970 World Cup final.
Besides YouTube, other platforms are ideal for streaming your favorite sporting moments of the past.
Vimeo
Vimeo is great if you're sick of ads popping up each time you try to watch a video. Its platform is easy to navigate and there are plenty of HD-quality highlights. Videos are arranged into categories so you can easily check out a variety of different sports.
Dailymotion
Often dubbed the YouTube in Europe, Dailymotion has billions of free videos ready to stream. The interface is simple to use and you can create an account so the more videos you watch, the more customized and personalized its recommendations become.
MetaCafe
MetaCafe specializes in short-form video content and allows you to watch highlights from your favorite sporting events. Users can upload their own videos so there are loads of funny sporting moments to keep you entertained.
Virtual Events
Millions of Brits become avid horse racing fans for The Grand National. But this year, COVID-19 meant the event was canceled. Instead, the British public enjoyed the second best thing - a Virtual Grand National. Racing and computer experts factored in details such as weather conditions, weight, age, and previous form to produce a realistic CGI generated race.
Virtual Motorsports
It's not just the horse racing world that's turning to virtual events to keep fans engaged. With the postponement of the 2020 Grand Prix season, Formula 1 is running virtual races. Current and past drivers compete via gaming consoles and the races are shown in their entirety on Sky Sports and streamed on YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook channels.
MotoGP is following suit and getting its riders back on the track and racing via video game. Those wanting to get involved can stream the race from MotoGP's official website and sports channels including BT Sports in the UK and NBC in the US.
Again, if you're wanting to tune into channels outside of your country of residence, a VPN will allow you to watch any geo-restricted content.
No one knows when the sporting calendar will resume and get back to some sort of normality. But no matter how long this lockdown lasts, there are plenty of ways sports fans can get their fix.
Whatever your preferred sport, the internet can bring the excitement back into your living room during these strange times.