Last week, the NCAA Board of Governors announced that if 50% of eligible teams in a particular sport, and a particular division, cancel their fall season, there will be no fall NCAA championship in that sport.
Although the NCAA’s decision puts every fall sport, including FBS football, in a tailspin, it does not mean that fall sport will simply not happen, Emmert said.
For one, the NCAA does not control FBS football, the conferences do. That, for now, FBS football is still a go.
As for the other NCAA sports, Emmert said the NCAA has been in touch with Division I commissioners and they are mulling ways to move forward with championships in the spring.
“If schools and conferences want to move forward, and try to have it and more than half of them want to do it – and that’s probably the indication now – then let’s do it,” he said. “We can use the fall, as I said, to keep kids healthy, to keep them busy with their coaches and their athletic departments. Focus on their academic success. Work with them and let them practice and stay ready to play, let then join us at that moment. “
Emmert mentioned the possibility of using bubble sites – similar to what the WNBA and NBA are doing now – in an attempt to keep players safe. However, he said that winter and spring sports have the highest priority, as they lost their championships last March.
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