The NBA is reportedly planning to restart the season on July 31st with all games to be played in the Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando at Disney World. The NHL still hasn't announced which two cities will host all the games when that league is ready to resume play. The NFL is no stranger to neutral site games, what with a game or two or three a year being played in London.
Fans don't do well with that type of change. They like the familiarity and the repetition, if not the competitive advantage, of home games.
The Church requires us to go to Mass every Sunday, but the beautiful part is that it's not mandated that we only go to our home parish. Furthermore is the universality of the Catholic Mass, knowing that anywhere we go on any given Sunday we will get the same that we would've gotten in our home parish.
I remember when I worked in the Olympic Movement, going to Mass in places like Serbia, Italy, Canada, and only the building was different. I had no problem following along with the Mass.
We might be disappointed in the league for scheduling our team to play away from their home arena or stadium, and/or they might lose that neutral site game, but we will never be disappointed by attending Mass somewhere that isn't our home parish.
Bruce Wawrzyniak is the host and creator of "Catholic Sports Radio," a weekly podcast that helps listeners find the right balance and priority when it comes to their faith life versus their sports life. Interviews are done with guests who are Catholics in sports -- current or former athletes, coaches, referees/umpires, clergy, administrators, and more from the pro, amateur, and scholastic ranks. The show can be heard at www.CatholicSportsRadio.net or via links there for most podcast apps/platforms.