You have questions. We have questions, and some answers or at least a line of thought to guide us through these times in the alternate universe.
The idea that we are even asking these questions would be crazy just a few months ago, but here we are. It’s mid-July and the possibility of a college football freefall is not impossible. Two conferences already announced league-only timings for 2020, eliminating Alabama’s start to the season with USC off the books.
It remains to be decided where this is heading, but SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said Saturday things were not going in a positive direction.
With that said, we’ve compiled a list of frequently asked questions along with an idea of how they might be answered in the coming weeks.
What are the possible scenarios for the college football season?
That is a complicated question with many possible answers. Because there is no centralized body to govern the structure of the regular college football season, it is up to conferences to find the best route for their respective league.
It is certainly possible that the college football season will start on time in late August.
The next option would probably be to delay the start of the regular season by a few weeks in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Moving the entire season to spring has been floating, but it doesn’t seem feasible.
Finally, it could be completely removed.
When are decisions expected?
The SEC takes its time before issuing a final verdict on its plan. After Big Ten and Pac-12 opted for the conference-only option last week, the SEC is waiting until the end of July to “sign up to see what our public health reality is,” Sankey said Monday on the Paul show. Finebaum. after meeting with the league announcements. The other two Power 5 conferences, ACC and Big 12, also indicated that the end of July would also be their decision time. For teams with a first game on the Labor Day weekend, practice on the field can begin on August 7.
Why doesn’t the NCAA enter here?
It just isn’t structured that way. The governing body can provide information and support, but does not have the authority to dictate how the season would unfold. There is no commissioner, just a collection of conferences with the autonomy to operate as they see fit.
How many fans can they see?
Very little has been said about this in recent weeks. Full stadiums seem practically impossible, so limited capacities would be the best setting for those hoping to see something in person. Minor league soccer games were played this weekend with limited crowds, so the impact on the health of those cities and attendees will be closely examined.
More expensive
I bet yes.
Could the SEC move to a conference-only season? What would that look like?
It certainly is possible and there could be benefits. First, it could have a degree of consistency with how equipment is tested and regulated from a health point of view. It has more financial resources to dedicate than the Group of Five conference teams. Alabama has non-SEC games against Georgia State, Kent State and Tennessee-Martin. It’s also unclear how those three different conferences will handle games outside of their league.
What is the case of a spring season?
Possibly, it would buy more time for infection rates, hospitalization numbers and deaths to decrease in the race for a vaccine. It would provide campus and athletics officials with more information on how to protect everyone from athletes to coaches to fans to the general public. This entire pandemic has been a race against time with treatments that evolve over time.
The cautious optimism of infectious disease experts points to early 2021 as the best scenario for a vaccine, so instead of risking all the logistical pitfalls of playing a raging pandemic, perhaps wait a few more months and see if the science can prevail?
The case against spring football?
The calendar hates it. Resuming normal hours in the fall of 2021 would put enormous pressure on those returning only a few months later. And what about the NFL’s prospects? Stars like Trevor Lawrence would not have the incentive to play a spring season with the draft in May. Weather is also a problem for teams playing in the northern states, where winter lasts longer than in the SEC country.
The logistics of moving an operation so gigantic to a season that it is never busy is dizzying. A wide gap without income would also add to the problems for liquidity-strapped departments. Those television contracts that pay large amounts of income are scheduled for Saturday fall. It could create a lot of programming, assuming other sports, both professional and college, are considered safe to play.
How does all this affect recruitment?
Much of that leaks to the high school level that has an even more complex organization chart. State to state, district to district could have different plans. That wouldn’t affect the precious recruits who are already engaged, but who hinder the late blooming that no one saw coming. Prospects like Josh Jacobs had little interest before his senior season and he flourished on a first-round pick.
How much of the budget depends on soccer?
It depends on how you calculate it and it can vary from one school to another. Iowa state athletic director Jamie Pollard said this week that the athletics department would lose $ 40 million if fall sports were not practiced, the Iowa State Daily and others reported. Alabama’s football tickets alone accounted for $ 36 million in revenue, with media rights at $ 23.6 million, according to the budget it submits annually to the NCAA. Soccer generated $ 95.2 million of Alabama’s $ 164.1 million in athletics made in 2019.
If the soccer season is canceled or shortened like spring sports, would the NCAA grant an additional year of eligibility for athletes?
File it in the good question category. It did not grant an additional season to winter athletes whose season was nearly complete when closings began. Spring sports were still beginning when the hammer fell in mid-March.
More questions?
There are certainly more questions out there with so much up in the air. You can email any questions to [email protected].
Michael Casagrande is a Alabama beat writer for the Alabama Media Group. Follow her on Twitter @ByCasagrande or in Facebook.
