One of the proposals for Big Ten football begins in January with games in domed stadiums in the Midwest, several sources tell Peegs.com.
The idea is that there will be eight Big Ten games starting in January with games to be played in January and February.
The proposal requires playing multiple games on a given day on different sites. Among the sites discussed are Indianapolis, Detroit and St. Louis. Louis. All three of those cities have football stadiums with domes.
SalivaDirect testing is included in the proposal, including possibly on game days.
The proposal would have to be approved by administrators, including eventually Big Ten presidents and chancellors.
The Big Ten is one of the conferences that canceled fall football for 2020, a decision that was reaffirmed on Wednesday by Commissioner Kevin Warren.
Indianapolis has Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the NFL’s Colts and host of former Big Ten football title games, such as Final Fours and other events. It is a stadium that can handle major events and changes in short order.
Detroit has Ford Field, home of the Detroit Lions and previous host to other events, including the Final Four.
St. Louis’s dome at America’s Center – formerly the Edward Jones Dome – formerly home to the NFL’s St. Louis Rams, who played there through 2015.
The Big Ten, Pac-12, Big East, Mountain West, MAC, SWAC and other leagues have canceled fall sports. The SEC, ACC and Big 12 have said they plan to drop playing football.
The Big Ten will not reconsider the option of falling football, Commissioner Kevin Warren said on Wednesday.
“The vote by the Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors (COP / C) was overwhelming in support of the postponement of falls and will not be re-examined,” Warren said in a letter released this evening.
Beginning of the Big Ten football season in January has been discussed by conference coaches, per multiple sources.
While spring football has also been discussed, one of the concerns about it is a spring season and autumn season potentially too close together, as it relates to the health of the players.
Indiana football coach Tom Allen said today that he believed three important factors should guide decisions about when to play.
No. 1, if games are played, it should be the same for the players to play. No. 2, it should be a quality experience for all players. No. 3, it should not negatively affect the ability to have a full season of 2021. Allen said he was not in favor of both a shortened 2020 season as well as a shortened fall season of 2021.
“Ohio State University is confident that we have the safety protocols and strict safeguards in place for our student-athletes to practice and return immediately to competition,” Ohio Director of Athletics said on Wednesday.
“Although a decision has been made by the presidents of the Big Ten Conference to postpone the fall season, we consider this a temporary delay, and Dr. Johnson has focused our attention on the possibility of at least some of our fall sports. “Bringing back to practice and competition by the end of the year. We are actively planning for the winter and spring seasons for all sports, including the return of football.”
