In 2020, we stayed home. By 2024, movement thrives, and travel and dining have evolved. This freelance sports and food photographer rediscovered match cover “lids” collected over 40 years. His story chronicles visits to restaurants, bars, and clubs. By sharing these lid images, he hopes to help remember these places or recognize small businesses and workers persevering to serve loyal customers. Match lids once were business ads. Now, he transforms them from ordinary items into sublime images.
The Intersection
The sports world meets a global pandemic. On February 19, 2020, at Milan’s San Siro Stadium, Atalanta (Italy) played against Valencia (Spain) in a Champions League match. That day, 40,000 fans packed the stadium, while many others in both countries watched from bars and restaurants. This match became known as the “Ground Zero” game. In the following days and weeks, Spain and Italy became pandemic hotspots.
By March 11, 2020, the NBA paused its basketball season after a Utah Jazz player tested positive for COVID-19, following advice from the CDC. The next day, another teammate tested positive. Sports leagues everywhere took action, canceling seasons and postponing events. Social distancing rules were put in place, and restaurants started offering curbside services.
In 2024, COVID-19 no longer overshadows sporting events, bars, or restaurants. By 2023, travel destinations adapted, encouraging widespread travel. The virus persists but is managed with vaccines, social distancing, and a more laid-back approach, reflecting our gained knowledge. We’ve even embraced the extended playing time for college athletes through the “Covid-Year” allowance, which will soon be a thing of the past.
The Project
Pull up a stool, check the game on the flat screens, order an adult beverage and ask the tender for a menu. It’s time to kick back. Sports, restaurants, quaint dining rooms, bars at the end of the world, waitresses, sou-chefs, hostesses and busboys. Where can I park the car or tie up my boat? One feeds upon the other. Is it a bottle of red or a bottle of white, what’s your mood tonight? Italian? BBQ? Tex-Mex? Asian Bistro? Owners and managers patrol the rooms asking if everything is alright? The Project begins here tonight.
Blog
We bring good things to Life.
Sports unite us. It keeps us sane for at least the moment. It helps reduce distractions, lets us cheer together, support our teams, and ultimately lets us honor a champion, be them long in the tooth or young at heart.
Anna Maria, A Snowbird’s Anniversary – March 11, 2021
A year gone by and we have returned like the snowbirds to this beach community along the Gulf Coast. Anna Maria Island (AMI) is south of Tampa and East of Bradenton, FL.
Claire’s Kitchen
Like sitting in Camden Yards in Baltimore, Cole Field House in College Park, Petco Park in San Diego, MSG in NYC, or Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham NC, it’s time to add Claire’s Kitchen for the remainder of this pandemic broadcast era as the must see TV backdrop.
Contact
Contact the Match Lid Project™ by checking out the Instagram Page.