No crowds
Prediction: Games would go ahead behind closed doors.
What happened: Aside from a handful of games during periods of heightened alert levels, crowds have been present at the majority of games in New Zealand. It certainly makes you appreciate living in this country when you see the empty stadiums overseas.
Winter season
Prediction: Winter sports seasons would not be able to go ahead.
What happened: In Otago every sport got its season. Some did so in an abbreviated version, others did so by running six weeks late, while all had a stint playing without crowds. Nationally many major leagues took a different look, but all played in some form.
No international sport
Prediction: Border restrictions would make international sport too difficult
What happened: Teams cannot move as freely as before, but international sport is still being played on a more limited basis. Bubbles are becoming common-place, while tournaments such as the Champions League have found ways to adapt and continue.
Sport reset
Prediction: Many suggestions that it was a good chance to reset how sports operated
What happened: For the most part little has changed. There has been a push towards balance, later starts for winter sport and various competitions are keeping shorter seasons. But by and large, things have remained largely as they were.
Trust funding would disappear
Prediction: With the pubs shut and the inability to keep reserves by the trusts there was a genuine fear valuable trust funding would dry up and sports would miss out.
What happened: The pubs reopened, the machines went back on and the trust money kept flowing out to many groups. No-one appeared to go backwards.
Racing will die in the south
Prediction: It was the perfect storm for the industry. A dying industry was tipped to be pushed over the edge by Covid-19.
What happened: The TAB laid off 30% of its staff in a shake-up. Wagering actually increased, race fields swelled for a while, and some tracks, notably Forbury Park in Dunedin, were set to close.
Golf clubs will be overgrown and close
Prediction: With full lockdown the courses and greens would get overgrown and fixed costs would kill many clubs.
What happened: The Government allowed greenkeepers back in within a couple of weeks, golf was the first sport to get back and the sport has boomed.
Sport industry will shrink, clubs will combine
Prediction: No money coming in and nothing on the paddock would lead to mass layoffs and clubs merging to stay relevant.
What happened: Sport was helped by Government packages and the wage subsidy. Staff took pay cuts and leave. Clubs started to merge but there is still some way to go on this journey.
