The NFL could step up to fill the football space on Saturdays this fall as the NCAA’s Power ‘conferences cancel the college season due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to multiple reports this week.
The NFL is “likely” to move some regular season games from Sunday to Saturday if the college football season does not take place, Pro Football Talk reported, citing a source with knowledge of the matter. At the moment, it is unclear how many games could be played on Saturdays.
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Since most NFL teams are expected to play their home games without fans present, schedule changes see some logistical hardships. A move to Saturday is likely for the NFL because the television battle is “wide open” during the pandemic, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.
To broadcast games on Saturdays, the NFL would have to secure an exemption under the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961. Under the act, the NFL was allowed to bundle and sell its television rights, as long as it did not place games on Friday and Saturday during the seasons of college and football.
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The upcoming college football season is in doubt this week, after the commissioners of the “Power Five” NCAA conferences discussed the cancellation of play during an emergency meeting on Sunday. The majority of the presidents of the Big Ten Conference Schools supported a cancellation or postponement and wanted to meta whether officials from the other conferences – the ACC, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC – were willing to follow them.
The possibility of canceling the season drew widespread criticism on Monday. A number of prominent figures, from Clemson University quarterback Trevor Lawrence to President Trump, are pushing for the season to take place.
For its part, the NFL is moving forward with plans for a traditional schedule this fall. The league has introduced strict coronavirus security measures and chose to cancel all pre-season games this summer.
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