Just before the coronavirus shutdown took place, NZC learned that they would not be able to sell their radio rights to NZME, the owner of Radio Sport. That effectively meant the end of ball-by-ball Test cricket broadcasting over the radio waves.
NZME said it couldn't afford to pay what NZC was asking so that was that with no other players in the market – at least so far as the general public were aware.
Disappointment for cricket fans around the nation loomed – no more Test cricket broadcasts.
But in stepped Mother Nature.
Covid-19 shut New Zealand down and many other places in the world too – for how long no one knows.
One thing is certain, however, the borders are going to remain closed for a longer period than the shutdown occurring in New Zealand at the moment.
Different countries around the world are treating the virus in different ways with varying results. Their recovery times will all be different thus affecting international movement.
Whatever the right method of dealing with the issue, it is certain that the lingering impact of the pandemic is going to be a transformed approach to future travel.
That has significant consequences for sport as we knew it pre-coronavirus.
While nothing can be sure, it does appear that New Zealand's sportspeople are going to have to play in their own backyard, probably at least until midway through next year, or until a vaccine can be found, manufactured in the quantities necessary and distributed all over the world.
So from just that perspective, cricket, rugby, netball, league, you name it they are all in the same boat, are going to have to organise competition from within.
That will be long overdue among critics who felt the professional era had provided a disconnect with grassroots levels of sport in New Zealand.
In cricket's case, that meant a devaluation of their domestic cricket programme while those fortunate enough to be able to travel the globe selling themselves off to whatever T20 league was offering an incentive, put themselves ahead of the best interests of the New Zealand game.
Suddenly, the New Zealand game has stepped into the picture in a much more meaningful place and the chance to play cricket should mean those who are able to afford their time will be expected to play in domestic cricket.
With no internationals, in Tests, ODIs or T20 formats, the only cricket is going to be for the Plunket Shield in first-class games, and in domestic reduced overs formats.
Given the likely public appetite for sports events, could the consequence of localised sport be a return to radio and, possibly even, television coverage of games?
That would be a huge boost for cricket and a guaranteed level of income for those running the game at the top level.
Undoubtedly, such a structure would involve more commercial reality coming into consideration to suit all who would be involved.
Variations on a theme could also apply to rugby, netball, league and other sports whether team-oriented or individual sports.
It could be sports own version of Back to the Future.
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