MADISON, Wis. – As we all know, the COVID-19 pandemic affects every aspect of our lives, both personally and professionally. For many students and staff, it has brought fear and stress and we are all looking forward to a time when things look and feel “normal”.
For many months, we had hoped that the return of fall collegiate sports could be an opportunity to restore some sense of normalcy and provide bright moments for our university, our city, and our state. Even so, today’s Big Ten decision to postpone the fall 2020 fall season is the right one.
It was created with the input of medical professionals and with the best interests of student-athletes, fans and staff at its core. Athletic department staff have worked incredibly hard to provide a safe environment for our teams to train and prepare for the season, but there is simply too much unknown risk for us to continue with the confidence we have. needed to launch our sports seasons. At the end of the day, the health and safety of our student-athletes, coaches and staff is our top priority. Nothing is more important.
As the Big Ten statement indicates, sports are just different from other campus activities. There is no way to maintain physical distance during competition, and masking can make competition very difficult. There are also a variety of unknowns about the interaction of COVID-19 with extreme physical exertion. As a result, playing season would pose risks that we think are unacceptable to our student-athletes and our athletic staff.
This is a challenging moment for all of us – student-athletes, coaches, staff, students, fans and local communities – whose lives are intertwined in many ways with Badger Athletics.
We will all miss Saturday’s excitement at Camp Randall, the cheering of the volleyball team in the Field House as it was on its way to another run for a National Championship, the excellence of our cross country rounds and the memorable experiences that come with men and women’s football.
We are especially passionate about the student-athletes and coaches who put so much time and effort into preparing for the competition.
We also recognize that this decision will have a major financial impact on not only our athletic department, but the many companies and members of our community who rely on Badger events to support their existence. These financial problems within Athletics are compounded by the profound financial challenges that lie across campus.
Today’s decision only affects fall sports, and we’re still hoping we can find a way forward so their seasons can be played in the spring of 2021. There are many obstacles to overcome to make this happen. , but we will start planning in case that is possible. At this point, no decisions have been made about winter sports.
Despite this proposal, we will continue to provide support and care for our student-athletes. That is central to our athletic department’s mission, and includes continuing its scholarships, academic advice and support, health insurance, and meals. This also includes the safe and successful opening of the autumn semester on our campus, so that all students have an opportunity to advance in their education.
We recognize how disappointing this news is for our Badger community. We appreciate the continued support and understanding of all those associated with Badger Athletics and the fans who encourage them and look forward to the day when we can safely return to college athletics.
