Escapism in any form is essential to endure the harsh truths of our tumultuous reality. For many, sports have served as a source for sanity and entertainment throughout this past year of our lives. In its absence early in the pandemic, I found myself lost without a cultural cornerstone I had come to take for granted. 
To distract myself from the ongoing dangers of mere existence, I use sports as a mode of escapism. But, it is imperative to remember that college athletes endure the same day-to-day challenges as sports spectators, coupled with the demanding responsibilities of being a student-athlete in the first place. 
Different people use different methods of escapism to cope with modern challenges. For some, fictional TV, movies and books provide a brief, mental vacation. For others, live-action sports are a go-to form of entertainment. 
Allowing numerous forms of media to be categorized as entertainment causes people to watch sports with the same eye they use to view other fictional forms of entertainment. I have continuously reminded myself that athletes experience the same daily struggles as typical Americans during the pandemic. Collegiate athletes, in particular, endure the same challenges as myself, combined with the demanding lifestyle of being a collegiate athlete in the first place.
The return of athletic competition in the midst of a viral pandemic was, and is, surrounded by controversy. At the professional level, all four major sports leagues managed to complete their seasons in some form or another. 
The NBA utilized a “bubble” format, the only effective strategy yet seen at any level of sport. The Walt Disney World campus in Orlando was used to host NBA players and personnel, creating a secure environment designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. It worked, but the product has not been properly replicated by other major sports leagues. Additionally, the bubble was certainly an imperfect system that took a substantial mental toll on the personnel and family members involved.
Of course, athletics would not continue if it did not rake in billions of dollars annually. Playing close-contact sports during a pandemic is objectively the wrong thing to do. To limit the spread of the virus, hosting sporting events in a country with differing state COVID-19 laws is utterly absurd. The Super Bowl was a government-sanctioned superspreader event that easily could have been avoided. But, if money is involved, safety will go out the window 100% of the time. 
Prioritizing financial gain over health and safety has been perfectly exemplified by college athletics, including at the University of Oregon. Professionally, players are compensated with gargantuan contracts that helps offset the risk of competition. In the collegiate ranks, unpaid athletes are pressured to compete despite risking their short- and long-term health. To maintain the bottom-line for media companies, universities and governing bodies like the NCAA, college athletics have continued to take place despite threatening circumstances.
Expecting the same high-levels of competitive play from human beings struggling like you and I is unjust and selfish. Standards for professionalism and productivity have been adjusted around COVID-19. This sentiment must also be applied to unpaid athletes that viewers use as a way to escape the harsh realities of life.