The Big Ten is eyeing several return to play scenarios that could include football in 2020, according to multiple reports.
During a busy new cycle Friday morning, both ESPN and Yahoo Sports reported that Big Ten officials were meeting with coaches and athletic directors to discuss multiple plans of action moving forward. While no clear favorite or likely option is apparent at the moment, at least one potential plan includes play beginning around Thanksgiving weekend.
‘Source: Big Ten starting around Thanksgiving would potentially allow the league to play 10 games plus one, as opposed to 8 games plus one later in January. This is all VERY early in *discussion* phase. Expect presidents and TV partners to have a significant say.’ Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports tweeted.
‘The Big Ten coaches and ADs are discussing multiple start dates for the season – Thanksgiving time, New Year’s Day, mid-January and post SuperBowl. Nothing has been decided or approved by the presidents or TV partners. This is early on in the process.’
While conversations regarding the Big Ten’s attempt at spring season were inevitable, returning to play in the 2020 calendar year would be a significant backtrack by Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren and conference presidents who previously voted in favor of canceling the season earlier in August with an eye towards playing in the spring.
In an open letter, Warren later wrote that the decision would not be revisited, and while the potential for playing in 2020 is technically not a reversal of the initial decision to cancel the season are originally scheduled, it would go against the league’s own statements indicating the Big Ten would not play any sooner than January 2021.
A reversal of these plans would require the approval from Warren as well as conference presidents and chancellors, all three parties previously voting as a majority to cancel the season. COVID-19 testing, on-campus spread and national trends would likely all play a role in any decision or reversal moving forward.
As for Penn State, winter football would create its own set of issues both in terms of Beaver Stadium’s traditional winterization following the season as well as the likelihood that fans would not be in attendance. While guidelines could change, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf’s administration has yet to give any indication that it would relax its attendance restrictions prior to 2021 and has already at least once shot down Penn State’s own limited attendance plans.
Coaches such as James Franklin have floated the idea schools could play at indoor neutral sites within the conference or Minneapolis but no meaningful momentum towards that plan has been made public. Generally speaking administrators have rejected the notion of longterm ‘bubble’ play as it interferes with the alleged amateur nature of collegiate athletics and student-athletes.
Locally the state did not forbid the PIAA from returning to play on an amended schedule, but fans are not permitted at those games either and the administration’s official stance is that it would prefer to see K-12 sports happening in spring of 2021 but it would not overrule the PIAA’s decision.
All told Friday’s news appears less the mark of a decision coming in the immediate future and rather a sign that the conference is moving towards whatever is next, be that in 2020, or 2021.
