More Ominous Signs for College Sports

[Heisenberg]

The skies around college sports are getting darker.
(for MU, will basketball have to compete with football next spring?)

First

An open letter to the Stanford community and the Stanford Athletics family | Stanford News
https://news.stanford.edu/2020/07/08/athletics/

In consultation with the Board of Trustees, we have made the decision to reduce the breadth of our athletics programs and staffing. Stanford will discontinue 11 of our varsity sports programs at the conclusion of the 2020-21 academic year: men's and women's fencing, field hockey, lightweight rowing, men's rowing, co-ed and women's sailing, squash, synchronized swimming, men's volleyball and wrestling. All of these teams will have the opportunity to compete in their upcoming 2020-21 seasons, should the circumstances surrounding COVID-19 allow it, before they are discontinued at the varsity level. Regretfully, 20 of our support staff positions are being eliminated as part of this realignment.

And it is not like these were fringe sports at Stanford ...

These 11 programs consist of more than 240 incredible student-athletes and 22 dedicated coaches. They were built by more than 4,000 alumni whose contributions led to 20 national championships, 27 Olympic medals, and an untold number of academic and professional achievements. Each of the individuals associated with these programs will forever have a place in Stanford's history.

Why? Because STANFORD, one the wealthiest schools in the world, does not have the money anymore.

The decision to discontinue these 11 varsity sports programs comes down primarily to finances and competitive excellence. With so many varsity sports and limited financial resources, we would no longer be able to support a world-class athletics experience for our student-athletes without making these changes.

Second

Remember they are D1, and this includes football

Ivy League Cancels All Fall Sports For 2020
https://boston.cbslocal.com/2020/07/08/report-ivy-league-cancel-fall-sports-2020-coronavirus/
The cancellation of Ivy League sports in the fall is significant — particularly for football — but not necessarily an indication that the power-five conferences will follow suit. With different financial implications, big football schools may have more motivation to find ways to play.

At the same time, one anonymous power-five administrator told The Athletic this week that the Ivy League could provide "cover" for other conferences looking to cancel or postpone the 2020 season.

Third

37 Test positive for COVID-19 at UNC-Chapel Hill, Football team to pause workouts temporarily
https://www.wfmynews2.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/37-test-positive-for-covid-19-at-unc-chapel-hill/83-daa8090c-6053-498f-b9dc-b99b862841cc
Campus Health and UNC Hospitals tested 429 of Carolina student-athletes, coaches and staff.

[Heisenberg]

Jeff Goodman @GoodmanHoops
38m

Ivy League was ahead of the game when it canceled it's basketball tournaments.

Now the league won't have any sports until at least Jan. 1.

Maybe other leagues should pay attention. They are pretty smart over there.

https://twitter.com/GoodmanHoops/status/1280960041185656834?s=20

[The Sultan]

Some think the Ivy League's decision looks hasty right now.  I wonder if we will feel the same way in a month.

[TallTitan34]

I'm enjoying the TBT because I'm assuming it's the only Marquette basketball we will get this year.

[GooooMarquette]

Some think the Ivy League's decision looks hasty right now.  I wonder if we will feel the same way in a month.

Goodman nailed it - there are a number reasons why the Ivy League is often ahead of the game in things like this...but one is that they have direct access to some of the most experienced and knowledgeable public health experts on earth. I have said it before - I will be very surprised if we have college football and basketball this fall and winter, and I suspect the Ivy League's decision is the beginning of a march to the inevitable.

For those who disagree, just look at sports that are being played in bubbles. TBT tried to keep it small, and they have already sent teams home. And now MLS had to send Dallas packing for multiple positive results.

Now extrapolate that to widespread college sports, playing outside bubbles on their home fields. FBS football has 130 teams, and DI hoops has about 350. It's just unfathomable that they'll find a way to keep teams sufficiently isolated to prevent widespread outbreaks.

It is a financial and public health nightmare, but that's just where we are....

[The Sultan]

I posted this on another board but here is an idea for the BE.

What if the BE set up the season to have two, four team round robin events every weekend at two sites with three teams having a bye. Two games a day on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Teams could get thirty games (three against every opponent) in over ten weekends, so with byes you are talking probably fourteen or so weeks. Looking at the calendar, if you start Thanksgiving weekend and take the Christmas weekend off, fourteen weeks gets you to the week before the BET. By then maybe thing are better and you can play a full tournament.

[Stronghold]

I heard from a source at a Big Ten school that they are currently considering having just 3 home games and 3 away games.  Something like only being able to travel 600 miles too because I'm assuming they won't be flying anywhere.  Restrictions on attendance.

This person isn't affiliated with the athletic department but runs the food service at the stadium so they have been kept in the loop somewhat.  Nobody hold me to the info just what I heard.

[Uncle Rico]

I heard from a source at a Big Ten school that they are currently considering having just 3 home games and 3 away games.  Something like only being able to travel 600 miles too because I'm assuming they won't be flying anywhere.  Restrictions on attendance.

This person isn't affiliated with the athletic department but runs the food service at the stadium so they have been kept in the loop somewhat.  Nobody hold me to the info just what I heard.

Something similar to this rumor has popped up elsewhere.  Saw on the twitters the Big East might have a conference only season as well, with maybe 3 games against certain opponents

[Billy Hoyle]

many schools are looking into regionalizing schedules. Bussing and no overnight trips if non-conference games are allowed. My former assistant works at U of Denver and based on where they're located they may not be able to get to NCAA minimum D1 contests without D2 and D3 games being allowed to count.

[forgetful]

Third

37 Test positive for COVID-19 at UNC-Chapel Hill, Football team to pause workouts temporarily
https://www.wfmynews2.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/37-test-positive-for-covid-19-at-unc-chapel-hill/83-daa8090c-6053-498f-b9dc-b99b862841cc
Campus Health and UNC Hospitals tested 429 of Carolina student-athletes, coaches and staff.

At the rate some of these schools are reporting positive tests, the entire football teams may have all gotten Covid before the first game would start.

[Billy Hoyle]

At the rate some of these schools are reporting positive tests, the entire football teams may have all gotten Covid before the first game would start.

Which is concerning considering the long-term health effects COVID has on even asymptomatic kids. And, the fact we're seeing spread when athletes are basically in a bubble does not bode well for when the rest of the student body returns.

[The Sultan]

OSU suspends voluntary athletic activities. Not looking good.

[GooooMarquette]

OSU suspends voluntary athletic activities. Not looking good.

Yep. Tick-tock....

https://sports.yahoo.com/ohio-state-suspends-voluntary-workouts-after-covid-19-test-results-232031635.html

[Herman Cain]

The skies around college sports are getting darker.
(for MU, will basketball have to compete with football next spring?)

First

An open letter to the Stanford community and the Stanford Athletics family | Stanford News
https://news.stanford.edu/2020/07/08/athletics/

In consultation with the Board of Trustees, we have made the decision to reduce the breadth of our athletics programs and staffing. Stanford will discontinue 11 of our varsity sports programs at the conclusion of the 2020-21 academic year: men's and women's fencing, field hockey, lightweight rowing, men's rowing, co-ed and women's sailing, squash, synchronized swimming, men's volleyball and wrestling. All of these teams will have the opportunity to compete in their upcoming 2020-21 seasons, should the circumstances surrounding COVID-19 allow it, before they are discontinued at the varsity level. Regretfully, 20 of our support staff positions are being eliminated as part of this realignment.

And it is not like these were fringe sports at Stanford ...

These 11 programs consist of more than 240 incredible student-athletes and 22 dedicated coaches. They were built by more than 4,000 alumni whose contributions led to 20 national championships, 27 Olympic medals, and an untold number of academic and professional achievements. Each of the individuals associated with these programs will forever have a place in Stanford's history.

Why? Because STANFORD, one the wealthiest schools in the world, does not have the money anymore.

The decision to discontinue these 11 varsity sports programs comes down primarily to finances and competitive excellence. With so many varsity sports and limited financial resources, we would no longer be able to support a world-class athletics experience for our student-athletes without making these changes.

Second

Remember they are D1, and this includes football

Ivy League Cancels All Fall Sports For 2020
https://boston.cbslocal.com/2020/07/08/report-ivy-league-cancel-fall-sports-2020-coronavirus/
The cancellation of Ivy League sports in the fall is significant — particularly for football — but not necessarily an indication that the power-five conferences will follow suit. With different financial implications, big football schools may have more motivation to find ways to play.

At the same time, one anonymous power-five administrator told The Athletic this week that the Ivy League could provide "cover" for other conferences looking to cancel or postpone the 2020 season.

Third

37 Test positive for COVID-19 at UNC-Chapel Hill, Football team to pause workouts temporarily
https://www.wfmynews2.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/37-test-positive-for-covid-19-at-unc-chapel-hill/83-daa8090c-6053-498f-b9dc-b99b862841cc
Campus Health and UNC Hospitals tested 429 of Carolina student-athletes, coaches and staff.

[Heisenberg]

Goodman nailed it - there are a number reasons why the Ivy League is often ahead of the game in things like this...but one is that they have direct access to some of the most experienced and knowledgeable public health experts on earth. I have said it before - I will be very surprised if we have college football and basketball this fall and winter, and I suspect the Ivy League's decision is the beginning of a march to the inevitable.

The highlighted part triggered me as it perfectly summarizes everything that is wrong with this country in one sentence. 

That is a willingness to accept that "elite experts" have some information they are not sharing with everyone else because that information must be used to benefit the elites first.  Like withholding that COVID information from everyone else but use it to protect their own athletes first and hope everyone else gets the "signal" and do the right thing. It's disgusting.

Now that I got that off my chest, here is why the Ivy decision matters ....

The ivies do not run their sports programs for profit.  They have them to allow their student/athlete (they have no scholarships) to achieve excellence.  In other words, their athletic departments are not driven by profits.

So, the ivies are saying if the profit motive is removed, all fall seasons should be canceled.

All the suggestions like ...

I heard from a source at a Big Ten school that they are currently considering having just 3 home games and 3 away games.  Something like only being able to travel 600 miles too because I'm assuming they won't be flying anywhere.  Restrictions on attendance.

and ...

What if the BE set up the season to have two, four team round robin events every weekend at two sites with three teams having a bye. Two games a day on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Teams could get thirty games (three against every opponent) in over ten weekends, so with byes you are talking probably fourteen or so weeks. Looking at the calendar, if you start Thanksgiving weekend and take the Christmas weekend off, fourteen weeks gets you to the week before the BET. By then maybe thing are better and you can play a full tournament.

In other words, we are seeking to do the MINIMUM possible so schools can maximize the number of games and profit.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Heisenberg in this case I think they are sharing the info with everyone.  I think Goooo was implying the leadership listens to them. 

[jesmu84]

Does all this imply that universities don't really care about giving kids the opportunity to pursue a college degree and really only care about the profit? Granted, finances drive the bus. But we're talking about some of the universities with the largest endowments.

And they're choosing to remove scholarships/opportunities for those who might not have another way into the school.

[marquette20]

Impossible to create a bubble like the professional leagues have done for college too. Even in profitable sports there's not enough money from TV to justify renting out entire hotels for extended periods of time. Colleges rely a lot more on ticket sales for budgets then TV money.

[oldwarrior81]

with Stanford dropping lightweight rowing, I wonder who becomes the NCAA favorite.

[The Sultan]

The highlighted part triggered me as it perfectly summarizes everything that is wrong with this country in one sentence. 

That is a willingness to accept that "elite experts" have some information they are not sharing with everyone else because that information must be used to benefit the elites first.  Like withholding that COVID information from everyone else but use it to protect their own athletes first and hope everyone else gets the "signal" and do the right thing. It's disgusting.

Now that I got that off my chest, here is why the Ivy decision matters ....

The ivies do not run their sports programs for profit.  They have them to allow their student/athlete (they have no scholarships) to achieve excellence.  In other words, their athletic departments are not driven by profits.

So, the ivies are saying if the profit motive is removed, all fall seasons should be canceled.

All the suggestions like ...

and ...

In other words, we are seeking to do the MINIMUM possible so schools can maximize the number of games and profit.

Experts have been sharing the information for months. Many have poo-pooed it, insulted the messenger, blamed it on politics, and now ignore it.

And that's just the President.

Seriously if you think the Ivies have been withholding information, you haven't been paying attention.

[GooooMarquette]

Heisenberg in this case I think they are sharing the info with everyone.  I think Goooo was implying the leadership listens to them.

Bingo. Their experts are putting tons of info out there, but the Presidents of the Ivies actually read it and follow the recommendations.

[Big Papi]

Does all this imply that universities don't really care about giving kids the opportunity to pursue a college degree and really only care about the profit? Granted, finances drive the bus. But we're talking about some of the universities with the largest endowments.

And they're choosing to remove scholarships/opportunities for those who might not have another way into the school.

Yup.  They have over 27 billion dollars in endowments and they feel compelled to cut sports that don't generate any revenue.  Stay classy Stanford.

[Dawson Rental]

with Stanford dropping lightweight rowing, I wonder who becomes the NCAA favorite.

How many promising job interviews ended with, "I see you were on the men's rowing team."  "No, actually I was on the lightweight rowing team."  "Oh..."

[Dawson Rental]

Yup.  They have over 27 billion dollars in endowments and they feel compelled to cut sports that don't generate any revenue.  Stay classy Stanford.

Very short-sighted.  With 2 sailing teams and both fencing teams getting dropped, how many of the royal families of Europe will still consider sending their progeny there?

[Shooter McGavin]

with Stanford dropping lightweight rowing, I wonder who becomes the NCAA favorite.

That is F'n funny.  Spit my drink out.