Big Ten, Pac-12 delay college football season due to coronavirus issues

The very first powerhouse conference in college football has actually chosen to delay its season due to Covid-19.

The Big Ten stated Tuesday the post ponement impacts all sports arranged for the fall season as issues about the pandemic continue to afflict the U.S. together with worries of a 2nd wave of Covid-19. The Big Ten conference consists of schools such as Ohio State University, University of Michigan and Northwestern University. The Big Ten stated in a declaration Tuesday that it will think about playing the fall sports in the spring rather.

About an hour after the Big Ten’s statement, the Pac-12 called a press conference to state its fall sports season would be delayed up until the spring.

“The mental and physical health and welfare of our student-athletes has been at the center of every decision we have made regarding the ability to proceed forward,” Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren stated in a news release revealing the choice. “As time progressed and after hours of discussion with our Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee, it became abundantly clear that there was too much uncertainty regarding potential medical risks to allow our student-athletes to compete this fall.”

According to a Pac-12 declaration, the choice to delay was made after assessment with sports directors and with the Pac-12 Covid-19 Medical Advisory Committee who revealed issue with moving on with contact practice.

“The health, safety and well-being of our student-athletes and all those connected to Pac-12 sports has been our number one priority since the start of this current crisis,” stated Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott.  “Our student-athletes, fans, staff and all those who love college sports would like to have seen the season played this calendar year as originally planned, and we know how disappointing this is.”

The Pac-12′s members remain in Arizona, California, Colorado, Oregon, Utah and Washington.

On Monday, the Detroit Free Press initially reported that the Big Ten, which in spite of its name has 14 member schools, would cancel fall sports. The Free Press stated university presidents voted 12-2 to cancel fall sports, with just the University of Nebraska and the University of Iowa ballot to play. The post mentioned sources and a report from radio host Dan Patrick, who kept in mind the Pac-12 conference is anticipated to cancel its season also.

The Big Ten desired a “10-game Conference-only schedule” however deserted the strategy after the commissioners of the NCAA’s Power 5 conferences fulfilled Sunday to talk about the status of fall sports.

The approaching cancellation triggered response from President Donald Trump and others lined up with him Monday, and they got in touch with the conferences to enable college football to continue, in spite of the pandemic issues. 

In a look on CNBC’s “Power Lunch” on May 5, Warren hinted the season might be in jeopardy, particularly with universities still browsing how to return trainees to class. 

“Even bigger than sports in the fall, we’re collectively focusing on what we need to do school in the fall,” Warren stated at the time. “If we don’t have school in the fall, we don’t have sports in the fall. And so, we have a whole other level of issues that we’re focusing on.”

Though conferences have actually currently begun the wave of cancellations, some college professional athletes utilized social networks to support taking part in fall sports in spite of the pandemic.

“Football is a safe haven for so many people. We are more likely to get the virus in everyday life than playing football,” Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence composed on Twitter.

The Big Ten’s choice follows the Mid-American Conference picked its own “conservative path” by canceling its fall sports Friday due to the pandemic.

In a declaration, MAC Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher stated the choice impacts approximately 2,500 student-athletes “who live for the moment to compete. Those opportunities and moments are fleeting, and our student-athletes have a limited window in which to showcase their talent, passion, and drive for excellence.”

“I am heartbroken we are in this place,” Steinbrecher included. “However, I take comfort and want to give assurance to our student-athletes, coaches, and fans that we have their best interest at heart, and we will make every effort to provide competitive opportunities in the spring.”

The Mountain West Conference likewise canceled its fall sports session, signing up with the Ivy League, which ended up being the very first college sports program to cancel fall sports due to the pandemic.

—The Associated Press added to this report