College Football Season

[NovaSS]

The PAC12 and BIG10 have decided to cancel their football season. I bet it has less to due with concerns about the virus and more to do about possible law suits.

[Stu from NYC]

They should have just moved it to the spring.

[Polar Bear]

The PAC12 and BIG10 have decided to cancel their football season. I bet it has less to due with concerns about the virus and more to do about possible law suits.
I’m not sure there’s that much difference between those two reasons.

[billethkid]

"CYA" in the disguise of protecting everybody involved in the football program.

[Bjeanj]

Question: what happens to a football scholarship if they don’t play? Anyone know, or care to speculate?

[Chi-Town]

I'm still upset there is no Rose Bowl parade.

[chet2020]

Question: what happens to a football scholarship if they don’t play? Anyone know, or care to speculate?

At the University of Wisconsin, football players will retain their scholarships. They are going to try for a Spring season, but there is concern whether they can play a Spring season, then a Fall season with little recovery time.

They are hurting for money and they are going to try to get by without cutting any non-revenue sports. There will be lay-offs in the athletic department. They are asking for donations, but it's a rough time to ask for money with lots of people unemployed or on reduced salaries. Tough times for college athletics.

[Stu from NYC]

I'm still upset there is no Rose Bowl parade.

Can we arrange a large golf cart parade?

[Dana1963]

Maybe they will get an education!

[Stu from NYC]

Maybe they will get an education!

Many of these kids only go to school to play football and get a shot at the pros

[Snowprint]

It’s clear, despite the usual idiots who say everything is fine, that COVID19 is still a pandemic in America and there’s no sign that there will ever be a serious nationwide effort, like seen in other countries, to do anything to stop the spread. It’s been documented that gathering in groups is how COVID19 is spread to many people. If singing in a church choir, which has already been proved, is a dangerous and senseless act, then it’s a no-brainer that playing football is dangerous. Expelling vast clouds of vaporized droplets and copious amounts of respiratory effluent is standard fare while playing football. Just one infected person can infect everyone on the field, offense and defense, in a single play! It’s very different than baseball, an individual game. It’s also very different from basketball simply because the numbers are much, much greater.
I love watching football, but I also am cognizant of the fact that playing football during a pandemic that kills people, and not just older ones, is not justified to make fans happy. I’ll still live without football, but are you willing to accept the death of even one person because you’re too selfish to do without football until the pandemic is under control?
Only a moron would say COVID19 is under control, and I’m not a moron.

[Cheapbas]

I interpreted these cancellations as “fall” sports, I believe if they have a shot at the spring they’ll take It

[stadry]

doubt there's a large concern w/lawsuits as the atty's will have ironclad/boilerplate pre-season agreements for all to sign,,, its a health issue,,,football $ make all other sports possible - ALL other sports for both genders ( no apologies to those who believe in more than 2 genders )

[Dahabs]

At the University of Wisconsin, football players will retain their scholarships. They are going to try for a Spring season, but there is concern whether they can play a Spring season, then a Fall season with little recovery time.

They are hurting for money and they are going to try to get by without cutting any non-revenue sports. There will be lay-offs in the athletic department. They are asking for donations, but it's a rough time to ask for money with lots of people unemployed or on reduced salaries. Tough times for college athletics.

I would of thought most if not all of the Power 5 schools would have a huge cash stash for this rainy day.

[Dahabs]

Many of these kids only go to school to play football and get a shot at the pros

Hopefully not that many given low numbers that actually make it to the pros. Obviously getting that education is much more likely long term benefit. There I go interjecting logic ...

[Dahabs]

The PAC12 and BIG10 have decided to cancel their football season. I bet it has less to due with concerns about the virus and more to do about possible law suits.

One (the pandemic) leads to the other (lawsuits).

[Jazzman]

At the University of Wisconsin, football players will retain their scholarships. They are going to try for a Spring season, but there is concern whether they can play a Spring season, then a Fall season with little recovery time.

They are hurting for money and they are going to try to get by without cutting any non-revenue sports. There will be lay-offs in the athletic department. They are asking for donations, but it's a rough time to ask for money with lots of people unemployed or on reduced salaries. Tough times for college athletics.

Maybe an outside firm should perform an analysis of where all the moneys they received from sports revenue in the past has been spent. Big universities make millions of dollars in revenue from sports, especially football and basketball. Some athletic directors and in particular sports coaches at these schools make upwards of $250,000 per year. Will they get paid since the programs have been cancelled. Universities are always crying they need more money. Look at the salaries of the administration. That’s a good place to start before asking for public donations.

[MandoMan]

The PAC12 and BIG10 have decided to cancel their football season. I bet it has less to due with concerns about the virus and more to do about possible law suits.

The legal implications if any student athletes get sick are dire for colleges. I’m sure Risk Management directors are strongly urging schools to cancel the seasons.

Let’s say some college football player with excellent pro prospects gets sick and suffers permanent lung damage or even dies. Don’t you think there would be lawyers eager to sue the school for not canceling the season and asking for what the player could potentially have earned for himself and his family over a career? And there might be big penalties added because the college knew they were risking lives by continuing the season. We could be talking $100 million settlements for some players.

I assure you, in colleges and universities, Risk Management companies and directors have a huge influence. Most colleges would rather give you what you want—whether or not you have a strong case—rather than risk a lawsuit. They HATE lawsuits.

We might not like it, but that’s the way it is. (I’ve spent my career as a university teacher.)

[nick demis]

So why can't the postpone the football season to the second semester instead of the first semester? There is a strong possibility that a vaccine will be out by than and if that doesn't happen, they can make the decision to cancel the season at that point.

[Singerlady]

Perhaps they have discussed moving the football season to the spring semester but it is just not public yet.

[Bay Kid]

Many of these kids only go to school to play football and get a shot at the pros

So true.

[PoolBrews]

I don't see any way there is spring football. You can't expect these players to play a full season, then go straight to training camp for next fall - it's just not going to happen.

If by some chance they do play, the quality will be terrible. Any player that has a shot at the NFL will not play when the draft will only be months away - they need to get ready, and any injury would leave them no time to recover in time for the draft.

They should just call it what it is - a cancellation of sports for the full 2020 season.

[davem4616]

Question: what happens to a football scholarship if they don’t play? Anyone know, or care to speculate?


things are not looking good for those weekly football betting cards...just saying

[Stu from NYC]

The legal implications if any student athletes get sick are dire for colleges. I’m sure Risk Management directors are strongly urging schools to cancel the seasons.

Let’s say some college football player with excellent pro prospects gets sick and suffers permanent lung damage or even dies. Don’t you think there would be lawyers eager to sue the school for not canceling the season and asking for what the player could potentially have earned for himself and his family over a career? And there might be big penalties added because the college knew they were risking lives by continuing the season. We could be talking $100 million settlements for some players.

I assure you, in colleges and universities, Risk Management companies and directors have a huge influence. Most colleges would rather give you what you want—whether or not you have a strong case—rather than risk a lawsuit. They HATE lawsuits.

We might not like it, but that’s the way it is. (I’ve spent my career as a university teacher.)

I would imagine that before any student athlete is allowed to play he will have to sign their life away with page after page of forms stating they will not hold their university or anyone accountable if they do in fact catch the virus.

Otherwise Universities could be setting themselves up for financial disaster.

[allsport]

It is the virus, s------.

[tlshoe]

I would of thought most if not all of the Power 5 schools would have a huge cash stash for this rainy day.

I’ve read that cancellation of the football season for the Power 5 will result in a loss of $60 million.

[ohiosbestus]

I will probably go into a deep depression for not being able to watch my buckeyes. These college presidents need to make decisions on education issues not football, because they have no idea about football. Most of them are Geeks.....

[retiredguy123]

I’ve read that cancellation of the football season for the Power 5 will result in a loss of $60 million.
Where is the evidence that the money schools make from football actually benefits the students? It seems to me that the tuition costs keep going up and up, and the students have to borrow more and more money to pay for it. Do students at schools that have good football teams pay lower tuition? I think the answer is to eliminate the Government loan programs.

[Stu from NYC]

Where is the evidence that the money schools make from football actually benefits the students? It seems to me that the tuition costs keep going up and up, and the students have to borrow more and more money to pay for it. Do students at schools that have good football teams pay lower tuition? I think the answer is to eliminate the Government loan programs.

It is criminal how expensive private universities have become. Endowments get larger and larger and tuition goes higher and higher.

Feel sorry for kids who get out of school and cannot buy a house or live like their parents did due to huge loan payments.

[chet2020]

Maybe an outside firm should perform an analysis of where all the moneys they received from sports revenue in the past has been spent. Big universities make millions of dollars in revenue from sports, especially football and basketball. Some athletic directors and in particular sports coaches at these schools make upwards of $250,000 per year. Will they get paid since the programs have been cancelled. Universities are always crying they need more money. Look at the salaries of the administration. That’s a good place to start before asking for public donations.

I happened upon this, doesn't format well, but first column is revenue (which must include donations), second column expenses, third column profit (loss). Doesn't break it down, but is an overview.

Here is UW's most recent revenues & expenses by sport.

Men's Sports Revenue Expense P/(L)
Football 90,769,486 40,412,322 50,357,164
Basketball 21,701,869 8,572,032 13,129,837
Ice Hockey 6,169,929 5,502,475 667,454
Golf 76,672 811,610 (734,938)
Soccer 1,019,966 2,159,531 (1,139,565)
Swimming 364,578 1,689,407 (1,324,829)
Tennis 256,434 2,073,001 (1,816,567)
Track, X-Country 785,739 2,568,107 (1,782,368)
Wrestling 355,953 1,587,302 (1,231,349)
Other 228,112 1,814,850 (1,586,738)
Men's Totals 121,728,738 67,190,637 54,538,101

Women's Sports Revenue Expense P/(L)
Basketball 2,070,214 4,364,051 (2,293,837)
Golf 191,074 892,825 (701,751)
Ice Hockey 864,494 3,151,623 (2,287,129)
Rowing 642,284 3,531,067 (2,888,783)
Soccer 980,332 2,311,270 (1,330,938)
Softball 828,547 2,669,148 (1,840,601)
Swimming 284,717 1,777,482 (1,492,765)
Tennis 195,422 1,935,961 (1,740,539)
Track, X-Country 948,306 2,912,630 (1,964,324)
Volleyball 2,144,716 3,119,937 (975,221)
Womens Totals 9,150,106 26,665,994 (17,515,888)
Combined Totals 130,878,844 93,856,631 37,022,213