The year 2020 has been a very different year for most people. It has been a year of change and growth with the coronavirus, social justice movements, and protests. With everything going on with police brutality, specifically against people of color, and people are wanting to do better in 2020, major actions have been taken. Artists, sports franchises, and businesses have decided to make appropriate and needed changes based on some racially rooted names.

The first big name change came in the music industry with the country trio Lady Antebellum shortening their name to ‘Lady A’ after learning further the root of the word Antebellum. This word, meaning, “occurring or existing before a particular war, especially the American Civil War” went under fire and was dropped after realizing its association with slavery. They released the following statement on their instagram: “When we set out together almost 14 years ago, we named our band after the southern ‘antebellum’ style home where we took our first photos. As musicians, it reminded us of all the music born in the south that influenced us…southern rock, blues, R&B, gospel and of course country,” the band said. “But we are regretful and embarrassed to say that we did not take into account the associations that weigh down this word referring to the period of history before the civil war, which includes slavery.” They posted their new logo after the release of the statement. Although they received some backlash from the public, overall their change has been both respected and praised.

The next big name change that came out of 2020 was the Washington Redskins. It was announced on Monday, July 13th that they would be retiring the Redskins name and replacing it with a less polarizing one. Although the announcement of what the name has yet to be released, there are a few top runners that are being considered. The main options are The Warriors, The RedTails, The Red Wolves, and The Hogs. The team is being very careful when choosing the name to make sure they will not have any problems with it down the road. With sports teams such as The Braves, The Blackhawks, and The Indians receiving pressure to change, Washington may want to stay away from The Warriors at the risk of that being considered derogatory. Both The RedTails and the Red Wolves would stand to honor The Tuskegee Airmen, a group of all-black fighter pilots who painted the backs of their planes during World War II. With many options to consider, this change is going to make a positive impact all around the NFL and other sport franchises.

2020 is the year for change and we are happy to see major platforms taking steps in the right direction. Some may not agree with the need for the changes but many see the positive impact it will have. Do you think they made the right decision?

Covid-19 has had an astronomically large effect on the way the world is working in 2020. One area that has been hit with a change so hard is the entertainment industry. People are yearning to get out and do social things, but for the most part, can not. Restaurants are limited, events are cancelled and large gatherings are virtually prohibited. The entertainment industry is looking for creative ways to stay alive and bring the views what they so desperately desire. One clever idea that has been treading around the country is drive in concerts. Is this the future of entertainment…at least for now?

Drive in movies have always been a hit since they first came on the scene in the 1950s. The idea of being both social while being isolated was one that people enjoyed. Although this fad did lose steam throughout the years, this new idea for concerts and shows is bringing the interest back to life. First starting with Garth Brooks and now countless other artists are looking to tour this way. The way this works is that each car costs $114 to enter. This ticket gets you and a carload of people into the concert. The show will then be displayed live on the screens throughout the drive in. This same show will be shown in drive ins across the country, but will be the only way to see the event. This type of viewing can be used for sporting events as well. It allows the audience to have the feeling of togetherness, while still being safe.

This may not be the most conventional way to see shows, but due to the unprecedented circumstances of the 2020 Coronavirus, the drive in viewing is a great way to fill the void of the entertainment we are lacking. Whether you are craving excitement or you miss the feeling of togetherness, the drive in viewings are a way to improve the entertainment world in 2020. Would you go see your favorite artist or team on the big drive in screen?