Also, travel to and from the game would be a factor. People from multiple households probably spending an hour plus in a car together, unmasked, talking boisterously about the game, assuming / implying they are hoarse from cheering.

And because these connections weren’t being made in real time and communicated in plain language by local news, each game was incorrectly interpreted as evidence that it was just fine. Even my own husband was like “people are going to all these sporting events and it seems fine.” Shoulda made the NFL fund some test and trace.