Nashville SC fans are disappointed, and really, we all should be | Estes

As team sports are being enjoyed again in other countries, I’d love to think it’s all going to be fine here, too, that American leagues and teams – pro, college, high school – are going to be able to soar unabated through these reappearing, ever-darker COVID-19 storm clouds.

But it’s not looking good.

Major League Soccer’s return tournament hasn’t even started yet and it’s a mess. Tuesday’s announcement that Nashville SC’s match Wednesday night had been postponed indefinitely actually carried a glimmer of good news in that the league wasn’t yet sending the team home as it had FC Dallas.

At this rate, however, no one could expect that Nashville – with at least five players testing positive for the virus and fears of more – is going to play a game in this tournament.

(Update: By Thursday morning, Nashville SC reportedly was indeed out of the tournament.)

That’s profoundly disappointing, and for many reasons. Close to home, it stinks we won’t get to see Nashville SC again, for one. Recent television ratings in the Nashville market for other soccer leagues have been impressive, suggesting an ample appetite not just to watch sports again but also to watch that sport – and to get behind an expansion Nashville team that could use the exposure.

In a larger sense, though, continued COVID-19 issues in MLS’s “bubble” and during Major League Baseball’s second “spring training” are disheartening deterrents as sports in the United States look to ramp up in the coming weeks and months.

A lot of eyes are on the MLS right now. In terms of men's team sports, it was jumping out solo. Had the league been able to pull off these first steps – like European soccer has, for example – it would have been so encouraging: Yes, this is possible!

MLS still could accomplish that without all its teams, I suppose. But by now, it’d go against the run of play, as they say in soccer. Headwinds are blowing stronger.

As in most of the United States.

Politics aside, if the goal is to prevent the virus’ spread and impact, the United States is statistically and objectively failing in comparison to other major countries. If it turns out that we can’t have nice things, like sports to enjoy, and those other nations can, that’s why.

“Look at where other developed countries are in their responses,” Washington Nationals pitcher Sean Doolittle told reporters this week (per a video shared by NBC4 Washington). “We haven't done any of the things that other countries have done to bring sports back. Sports are like the reward of a functional society, and we're trying to just bring it back even though we've taken none of the steps to flatten the curve, whatever you want to say.”

Amid COVID-19’s increasing spread in the United States, NHL officials reportedly have opted to take their pucks and flee to two Canadian hub cities for their postseason tournament beginning Aug. 1.

Can you blame them? It’s a smart decision. It gives them the best chance to be able to play.

Matter of fact, is it too late for the NBA to head to Toronto and not Orlando? How about college football? Can the SEC move things to Edmonton, too? And, hey, the NFL seems to so badly want to play games in London anyway.

You think I’m kidding. I’m not. I want sports back, people. And I’m no longer so sure they can happen here.

As it stands now, American sports appear destined to become a debate – isn’t everything now? – about how much virus we’re going to be willing to tolerate to play.

Yes, each individual case isn’t the end of the world, but I can say that because I’m not one of the people having to risk getting sick by participating.

Yes, “bubble” restrictions will help, but MLB and the NFL won’t be doing that, much less entire college campuses. It’s concerning, too, that the testing isn’t there yet. Results already have been slow to arrive for MLS and MLB teams, leaving no reason to think it’ll be any better when other leagues try.

So how many cases are going to be too many? This question won't go away as everyone tries to answer it and still be able to get where they want to go.

Not saying it’ll be impossible to accomplish.

But it’ll likely be impossible to do it without positive cases impacting some teams and players, a fact that'll bring with it constant uncertainty and the threat of last-minute disappointment for fans who’ve waited months for games that – surprise – won’t happen after all.

Sadly, that’s where Nashville sports fans are unfortunate enough to be right now.

They can expect company soon.

Reach Gentry Estes at gestes@tennessean.com and on Twitter @Gentry_Estes.