Is a tectonic change coming to college sports?

[Heisenberg]

The last 24 hours have been wild in college sports and may leave the concept forever changed.

Yesterday, the Big 10 voted to cancel the fall football season, joining the Ivy, PAC-12, and Mid-America conferences in cancelling football.

The outcry was so big that the Big 10 is meeting again today and considering "uncanceling" the season.

https://www.zerohedge.com/health/big-ten-waffles-after-public-outcry-including-trump-tweet-might-not-cancel-season-after-all

The rumor is Nebraska is ready to go it alone.  If the Big 10 cancels, they will join with whoever plays (the SEC?) this season.  Iowa is considering the same.

The thought it this could lead to the beginning of the end of the concept of a conference as currently structured. (to be clear, conferences will still exist, just not as we know them now.)

Meanwhile the best college FB player in the country, Clemson's QB Trevor Lawrence, is leading a player charge to play this season, and ultimately start a Player's Association/Union.

https://twitter.com/Trevorlawrencee/status/1292672300152758273?s=20

See the last two points, from Lawrence's tweet.

These will have the biggest long-term impact on college football.  They can change a lot of how the sport is organized.



Not this is not happening in a vacuum.  All these changes will impact college basketball in much the same way.

Stay tuned.

[Heisenberg]

One last rumor ...

There is a push to allow players that are on teams/conferences that cancel to be immediately eligible to transfer to play this fall. So, if the Big 10 stays canceled, along with the PAC-12, they will be gutted of all their best players as they move to teams that will play next month (again, the SEC?). This means a bunch of college "super-teams" this season and a bunch of damaged programs for next season (Is Michigan ready to lose to Western and Central Michigan?).

This is supposedly what Lawrence and the push for a the player's association will go for next after they get as many teams/conferences playing this season. 

[MUBurrow]

[The Sultan]

This is all being discussed in the Superbar in various topics.

Nebraska and Iowa likely can't just go it alone due to their grant in media rights. 

[jficke13]

oh hey zerohedge, no need to click that one.

[Newsdreams]

Until players start getting sick. No doubt that it will happen. By the way most lineman are high risk because they're overweight.

[Oldgym]

oh hey zerohedge, no need to click that one.

Why am I not surprised?

[GooooMarquette]

This is all being discussed in the Superbar in various topics.

Nebraska and Iowa likely can't just go it alone due to their grant in media rights.

Yep, and in addition to media rights, I'm betting there are plenty of terms in the conference contract that prevent them from suddenly becoming an independent or affiliating with another conference without some significant penalty.

And when you get past this one season, Nebraska and Iowa need the Big Ten a lot more than the Big Ten needs Nebraska and Iowa.

[Heisenberg]

The BIG 10 just announced they will play football in the spring. 

What happens with basketball?  Next Summer (Mar to July)

[GooooMarquette]

Now that the Big 1? made it official, I suspect the Pac 12 will quickly follow suit.

Edit: Pac 12 is expected to make an announcement by around 1:00 PT.

https://twitter.com/johncanzanobft/status/1293260855572754432?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

[Billy Hoyle]

The BIG 10 just announced they will play football in the spring. 

What happens with basketball?  Next Summer (Mar to July)

the goal is to have basketball, worst-case scenario starting in January.

[GooooMarquette]

the goal is to have basketball, worst-case scenario starting in January.

Worst-case scenario? Seems like a best-case scenario to me....

[79Warrior]

the goal is to have basketball, worst-case scenario starting in January.

Highly unlikely.

[Heisenberg]

and compete with football? 

One example, if Bucky has a Saturday home game in Football and Basketball on the same day, how many go to the basketball game?  Are they "risking" a loss in basketball revenue?

Or does football start in April (so they don't try to sell tickets for outdoor games in Janaury)?  If so, how do their players get drafted?  No combine or pro-days?  Or do the 20 to 30 best players not play and water down the product for ticket paying fans?

So many questions, lots of implications.

[Heisenberg]

Pac-12 just announced no fall football and they will also TRY and play in the sping.

two power five down, three to go.

So with these two in the spring, April or May Rose Bowl.

[Uncle Rico]

and compete with football? 

One example, if Bucky has a Saturday home game in Football and Basketball on the same day, how many go to the basketball game?  Are they "risking" a loss in basketball revenue?

Or does football start in April (so they don't try to sell tickets for outdoor games in Janaury)?  If so, how do their players get drafted?  No combine or pro-days?  Or do the 20 to 30 best players not play and water down the product for ticket paying fans?

So many questions, lots of implications.

Bucky has basketball games during football seasons all the time.  They can adjust any scheduling conflicts if they have to.

There won't be football is spring, so it doesn't matter

[79Warrior]

Pac-12 just announced no fall football and they will also TRY and play in the sping.

two power five down, three to go.

So with these two in the spring, April or May Rose Bowl.

Pac 12 cancelled all sports through the end of the year, including CBB.

[oldwarrior81]

Spring football is interesting.

When would they play?  March - May?

Then take a couple months off and start over again for Fall?  I would think some additional down time may be in play.

[Uncle Rico]

Spring football is interesting.

When would they play?  March - May?

Then take a couple months off and start over again for Fall?  I would think some additional down time may be in play.

If they play, it'll be an abbreviated season.  The NFL won't move the draft and combine.  Kids would be smart to start preparing for the draft now.

[GooooMarquette]

At the rate we're going, nearly every sport will be looking to start next season sometime in the spring. College football and maybe basketball 'pushed back' until them, pro and college baseball looking to start next season at or near their 'normal' times, maybe even NFL football pushing back if they don't hurry up and figure out a 'bubble' strategy.

And that could all be happening just as people begin to start doing all the other things they're missing out on now, like family vacations and such.

Should be interesting....

[WhiteTrash]

If they play, it'll be an abbreviated season.  The NFL won't move the draft and combine.  Kids would be smart to start preparing for the draft now.

I agree with this.  Two full football seasons in one year is not reasonable.

[Galway Eagle]

I agree with this.  Two full football seasons in one year is not reasonable.

Full seasons absolutely. But don't a lot of big schools have an abbreviated spring thing happening anyways?

[tower912]

This one has been inevitable for months.   A more appropriate and accurate clickbait title might have been 'This week's tectonic shift in college sports'.

[WhiteTrash]

Full seasons absolutely. But don't a lot of big schools have an abbreviated spring thing happening anyways?

They have spring practice and a scrimmage.

[Heisenberg]

@jbook37: Penn State is now on board with leaving the Big Ten if they have to.  So far 3 of the 4 rumored schools in Ohio State, Penn State, Nebraska who supposedly was throwing out feelers to the Big 12 have confirmed in the last 24 hours they are indeed open to playing elsewhere.

----
Iowa is the fourth school.

Also, Big 12 and SEC schools are looking to poach the best BIG 10 players and lobbying the NCAA to allow immediate transfers of teams that elect to not play this fall.

Meanwhile the BIG 10 and PAC-12 are lobbying that all fall sports at all D1 conferences get postponed.