Times they certainly are a-changing. The coronavirus pandemic has caused many of us to take stock of our lives, how we’re living them, and what we really want for ourselves. The pandemic has created a massive reshuffling of money and of responsibilities. It has invited us to consider what is really necessary, what “essential” means. Whether we’re talking about essential workers or daily activities like shopping or entertainment, each day we’re being offered the question: “Is it necessary?”
For many people and families, traditions are taking a backseat this year. Birthday parties aren’t happening, annual get-togethers are being canceled, and big plans are being postponed as we collectively ask ourselves if it’s necessary.
Bullfighting Is Taking A Break
Typically, for most people springtime involves lots of gatherings and celebrations, and in Spain, it is no different. Many consider bullfighting to be a cultural tradition worth preserving, but there is a growing movement of people who disagree. Not only is bullfighting not necessary right now, it’s just not necessary at all.
Crowds of people gather each spring in Madrid for the San Isidro festival. Though attendance is down in recent years, this festival is where bullfights take place daily. This year all is quiet in the Las Ventas bullring, thanks to the coronavirus lockdowns. San Isidro is canceled this year, as is Sevilla’s April Fair, and Pamplona’s San Fermin is canceled for July as well. (1)
What does this mean for the bullfighting industry? Well, it doesn’t look favorable.
Bye For Good?
The cancelations are a huge blow to an industry whose popularity has been flagging for years. Though bullfighting is something of an emblematic aspect of Spanish culture, it’s undeniably cruel. Animal advocacy groups have been increasingly vocal about it in recent years, and the headlines have been getting attention. Called “corridas” in Spain, bullfights involve a slow and cruel death for the bull, all in the name of sport. Many in this day and age don’t view that as particularly necessary.
But for bull breeders, it’s very necessary. It’s their livelihood. With events canceled for the foreseeable future, the bulls are sold at a steep loss to butchers for their meat. They fetch only about 500 euros ($541), though they cost around $5,000 euros to raise.
“The worst-case scenario for us would be not to have bullfights in the whole year. That would be dramatic,” bull breeder Victorino Martin told Reuters. “Just imagine. We already haven’t had any income because of the winter stoppage, imagine one more year like this” he said.
Time For Bullfighting To Pivot
This pandemic has brought a lot of upheaval to a lot of lives. The ever-increasing body count is one aspect of it, and the havoc it has wreaked on the economy is another. Millions upon millions of people have found themselves suddenly without a means to support themselves, and those who can’t fall back on a savings account or unemployment, are doing what they can to make ends meet. They are taking on jobs they have never done before, or they’re making their side gig work for them. Some people are going back to school, and some are reinventing themselves and starting something totally new. In these changing times, people are adapting. We’re cutting the fat, taking a long look at what is really necessary, and putting our energy toward those things that yield a positive benefit. Perhaps it’s time for the bullfighting industry to pivot too; find something more modern and socially acceptable to do with its energy.
