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Spring Football? Nine-Game Season? ADs Ponder Contingency Plans

Curious why you find this idea to be so crazy?

I can't speak for him, but I can think of lots of reasons. It means a total destruction of the recruiting calendar. It means that the NFL combine would have to be totally changed to at least the beginning of summer, which means the draft would have to be pushed back to the middle of summer at the earliest. That means NFL camps would have to be pushed back from the middle of July which means the NFL schedule would be impacted.

It means most teams would start practice in January and then have three months for their 12 games (so February through April), then May would be conference championships and some bowl games. So most teams would be finishing their seasons in May, then they would have two months off before having to start practicing for the following season (which happens in August). In other words, you would have absolutely no spring practice and only two months between the end of one season and the start of another season.

Probably more harmful would be March Madness going head-to-head with the middle of college football season. College World Series? Same.

On top of that, with attendance already dropping across the country, you have football games coinciding with spring break for families, interest being lower since the rest of the country is playing baseball and basketball during that same time, etc.
 
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Not a good idea for reasons mentioned above.
I really think they could start the season in October if we hit peak on reported COVID cases as some models predict in 2-2.5 weeks. Let’s hope
 
No idea is crazy right now, especially for G5 schools. If there is no football this fall, on top of the revenue losses already sustained, many G5 schools will find themselves in a position where they will have to massively cut sports and payroll just to keep from having to shutter their programs altogether.

Marshall fans shouldn't be whistling past this particular graveyard. The state was already facing 3-4 years of budget deficits and cuts to higher education, and that was before all Hell broke loose. Things are going to get so bad even WVU will be affected.
 
So most teams would be finishing their seasons in May, then they would have two months off before having to start practicing for the following season (which happens in August). In other words, you would have absolutely no spring practice and only two months between the end of one season and the start of another season
This is the first thing that popped into my head as the biggest drawback. An idea I saw floated that would help extend the off-season between the spring and fall seasons was eliminating all or some OOC games.
 
Not a good idea for reasons mentioned above.
I really think they could start the season in October if we hit peak on reported COVID cases as some models predict in 2-2.5 weeks. Let’s hope
Until a majority of the population becomes immune to the virus (it's too early to know if that's even a thing) or a vaccine is developed there's no chance the sporting world will be able to get back normal this fall. The best we can hope for any time "soon" is games with no fans (which would be fine with me).
 
I agree this is a bad idea... I also don't understand things in June and July already being cancelled. If we are on a similar timeline to Italy (albeit on a larger scope) then we would currently be roughly 2.5-3 weeks from hitting the peak of deaths.

In my humble opinion, everything in April should be nixed and probably even the first two weeks of May just to error on the side of caution, but beyond that there is no way for anyone to know what timeline we (the United States) are on.
 
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Seems all of the reasons I found it to be crazy have been posted for me. Maybe you should give us all your reasons why it’s a great idea, it’d probably be a hell of a lot shorter.
You started the thread and I was legitimately wondering why you thought it was such a bad idea.

There's going to be collateral damage no matter what happens. If the entire 2020 season is cancelled there will be a ton of programs (Marshall included) that may never recover. Budgets will simply be too decimated to ever bounce back. On the other hand, (like @riflearm2 mentioned) a spring college football season would bring with it an entirely new set of challenges and probably impacts several other sports and leagues.

I doubt anyone thinks spring football (the real kind) it is a great idea - I certainly don't. But I am coming around to the notion that we need to vet every scenario possible if we want to see live sports any time soon.
 
I agree this is a bad idea... I also don't understand things in June and July already being cancelled. If we are on a similar timeline to Italy (albeit on a larger scope) then we would currently be roughly 2.5-3 weeks from hitting the peak of deaths.

In my humble opinion, everything in April should be nixed and probably even the first two weeks of May just to error on the side of caution, but beyond that there is no way for anyone to know what timeline we (the United States) are on.
I live in Virginia and we're on a stay-at-home order until at least June 10th. I'd expect that to be the norm across the country very soon.
 
Almost all sports managements' seem to have an elevated opinion of their roles in the broad scheme of things. Sports has a calendar. ASSUMING everything get back to "normal" whenever it does, say June 1, whatever, most everything wants to just slide in. Run the Kentucky Derby in August, the Indy 500 in September, hold the World Series at Christmas, play the interminable NBA and the NHL in July, so on. Now some joker wants to play the 2020 college football season next spring? A lot of sports may find that their fans are fine with them when it is the proper season, but may say thanks but no thanks elsewise.
 
Already halfway there, my friend.
I was a week overdue for a haircut when I had my last one scheduled, and then they shut down everything here two weeks ago. So now I'm three weeks past due, and it's going to be at least 4 more weeks before they allow them to open back up, but more realistically 6-8 more weeks. I'm not sure whether I should grow back the fro, or go with the Willie Nelson thing at this point. Fro is pretty cool, but I think the full Nelson would be even cooler.
 
This is going to be a huge body blow to programs all across the country regardless. If somehow they could just scrap the non-conference and start conference play in October, how many local fans/businesses are going to be more worried about getting back on their feet instead of spending thousands in donations & season tickets? How many sponsorships will be pulled? If you play it in the spring, I’m afraid most people will just want to wait until the next fall and view it as JV football. I don’t think the money will be coming in regardless of what they do.

It sucks, regardless of what happens. I don’t think there is a right answer.
 
We have how many athletic trainers on staff? How is Steve Cotton going to manage his travel arrangements with FB, BB, going on at the same time? Not to mention the already aforementioned. If this season can’t get in on its regular date, than you have to cancel it and give an extra year of eligibility just like they did for spring sports. Otherwise the schedule is going to be a mess for much longer
 
Forget, football for a moment. Would the University actually have remote / Stay at home students for the year? Incoming freshman starting their college experience online or a correspondence type atmosphere? They will answer that question long before football. If they scrap football in the fall, probably; so goes classes. You better bet they are trying to avoid that.
 
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^^^ This is a very real possibility. Paycheck to paycheck public schools like MU are in real danger. Marshall will pull thru but what will the long term damage look like.
 
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The people who are claiming that it's too early to cancel things in June are ignoring the experts on this, and that's exactly what the moron in the White House is promoting.

The experts are claiming that the second wave can be just as deadly or even far worse than the first one. That's because when numbers start to decline, the public (and presumably the loudmouth with the biggest microphone) believes it is safe to resume regular activity. That's when it comes back two-fold and spreads faster.
 
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^^^ This is a very real possibility. Paycheck to paycheck public schools like MU are in real danger. Marshall will pull thru but what will the long term damage look like.


Just resd in Marshall magazine that Gilbert says the bank balance is on solid footing for the school as a whole.
 
Until a majority of the population becomes immune to the virus (it's too early to know if that's even a thing) or a vaccine is developed there's no chance the sporting world will be able to get back normal this fall. The best we can hope for any time "soon" is games with no fans (which would be fine with me).

From the last season or so, CM, it appears that both Mike Hamrick and Doc have been working very hard on that "games with no fans" thingy!! :)
 
McMurphy released a full article today outlining some of the alternative plans being discussed: https://watchstadium.com/spring-football-eight-game-season-ads-ponder-contingency-plans-04-01-2020/


• Start the season in October or November, concluding in the spring semester.

One Power Five athletic director asked if schools can’t begin in-person practices until late August or September, when would the season be able to begin? October or later?

“If we have to delay the start of the season, we could split it between two semesters,” a Power Five AD said. “Some bowls may not occur because of this, but we could play a full season, a majority of the bowls and the playoffs.

“Look, we are doing all types of contingency planning, even if these hypothetical scenarios never come close to happening. The biggest issue is (a start date) is a moving target.”

Another AD said they would favor the season being played over two semesters, something presidents usually have been against. That might mean a football version of March Madness.

“If we could play in a non-traditional season and extend into winter (after the traditional holiday break), I would be more optimistic about a 12-game season,” the AD said. “But it’s too early to tell.”


• Spring football, anyone?

If universities are operating exclusively online-only classes during the fall semester and don’t allow students to return to campus until January, what’s that mean for the college football season?

Just last week, a Group of Five president suggested going ahead in mid-March and moving the football season to the spring, said a Group of Five AD.

“We could move it to the spring,” a Power Five AD agreed.

Multiple athletic directors said if a fall football season can’t occur, a last-gasp possibility would be starting the season in January or February. It could mean the College Football Playoff’s semifinals from the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl could be held in May, and the national title game from Miami Gardens might be played in late May/early June around the Memorial Day holiday.

In this scenario, the regular season would get played during the NFL Draft and some bowl games might get canceled, an AD said, but at least the season would be saved.

“Would that be the preferred situation?” an AD asked. “Absolutely not, but the lights have to be kept on somehow.”

By playing in the spring — preferably in front of crowds — it would allow the universities to still recoup the millions of dollars in revenue generated by the football programs that is so critical to the athletic departments and universities.

“I think being open to a non-traditional season is a must for (athletic) departments to survive,” a Power Five AD said.

“If it’s our only option, we absolutely would have to do it in the spring,” a Group of Five AD said. “It would be incredibly difficult for us to survive financially without football revenue. That’s how critical it is to each university. We have to be creative in our thinking on this.”


• Cancel early-season non-conference games and play only conference opponents.

This would mean shortening the season by not playing games in September, but it would allow the bowl games and College Football Playoff to remain as scheduled.

The Power Five commissioners have daily communications, and Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby said if there was a reduction in games, that all of the Power Five leagues would decide as a group the number of conference games to schedule so they would all play the same number of contests.

But that could get tricky.

For one, there are 32 conference games involving the Power Five conferences in the month of September that would have to be moved to October or November. Then there’s the difference in number of conference games. The Big 12, Big Ten and Pac-12 all play nine league games, while the ACC and SEC only play eight. All of the Group of Five leagues have eight conference games.

But what about the seven independents, specifically Notre Dame? How would they schedule matchups in a conference-only format? What happens to the Army-Navy Game?

The easiest way to do the conference-only schedule might be allowing each school nine “conference” games. The SEC could add another conference game without any issues, while the ACC could have nine schools play Notre Dame and have it count as a conference opponent. The other five ACC league members could each schedule another independent (Army, BYU, UConn, UMass, Liberty or New Mexico State) to get its ninth game.

The independents would have to be very creative with their schedules to get to nine games, perhaps playing some sort of round-robin schedule.

Without non-conference games, the Group of Five schools and a lot of FCS programs would not get their big-money, million-dollar paydays for playing at a Power Five opponent. If that happens, “it would be crippling to the Group of Five programs and would destroy the FCS ranks as well,” a Power Five AD predicted.

Anything less than a 12-game season also means less revenue for all programs.

Whatever shape the upcoming college football season evolves into, one Power Five athletic director had the best advice.

“We really need to put competitive advantage aside and think big picture on this thing,” the AD said.

“However, I’m not sure people will.”
 
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We have how many athletic trainers on staff? How is Steve Cotton going to manage his travel arrangements with FB, BB, going on at the same time? Not to mention the already aforementioned. If this season can’t get in on its regular date, than you have to cancel it and give an extra year of eligibility just like they did for spring sports. Otherwise the schedule is going to be a mess for much longer
as for Steve, that is not a problem. As you know, when there is a football/basketball conflict like there is at least one time a year, Marshall alum and MetroNews broadcaster Dave Wilson does hoops play by play. This year is was the UNI and Florida games
 
as for Steve, that is not a problem. As you know, when there is a football/basketball conflict like there is at least one time a year, Marshall alum and MetroNews broadcaster Dave Wilson does hoops play by play. This year is was the UNI and Florida games
Right. This already happens. Jake Griffith is becoming quite good and could be someone we lean on, too.
 
I was a week overdue for a haircut when I had my last one scheduled, and then they shut down everything here two weeks ago. So now I'm three weeks past due, and it's going to be at least 4 more weeks before they allow them to open back up, but more realistically 6-8 more weeks. I'm not sure whether I should grow back the fro, or go with the Willie Nelson thing at this point. Fro is pretty cool, but I think the full Nelson would be even cooler.
Any way you could do a fro and a Willie Nelson? In these unprecedented times we have to think outside the box, ya know.
 
Any way you could do a fro and a Willie Nelson? In these unprecedented times we have to think outside the box, ya know.

You boys do all the long hair hippie nonsense you want... I just cant handle it. Once it tickles my ears its too damn long... I went and bought some Wahl trimmers the other day. When worse comes to worse, I will self-buzz-cut. lol
 
I don't see the 2020 college season being played and if is there likely will not be fans in the stands. It might be a tv only kind of deal if they do it. But, I am not so sure they are going to allow 80,000 people to be packed into stadiums until there is a cure/vaccine for this China Virus.
 
I live in Virginia and we're on a stay-at-home order until at least June 10th. I'd expect that to be the norm across the country very soon.
Your governor is also an idiot. I am all for caution and personally I don't think this thing will be over enough to have fall football season. But, there is no need for a governor to call it out that far. All that does it make the economic situation worse. He is a real tool bag.
 
I don't see the 2020 college season being played and if is there likely will not be fans in the stands. It might be a tv only kind of deal if they do it. But, I am not so sure they are going to allow 80,000 people to be packed into stadiums until there is a cure/vaccine for this China Virus.
This is where I’m a scratching my head with it. I can understand the P5 being able to play in empty stadiums because they rake in the tv dollars. Schools like Marshall don’t get a lot of tv money. We don’t have ABC, FOX, CBS, etc fighting each other to throw us money. We have stadium, through Facebook.

If fans are not allowed in the stadiums, how is there a cost benefit to Marshall to travel all over the country playing our conference games in empty stadiums? If programs like Marshall, who don’t get the millions from tv revenue, have a fan base who has been ravaged by this economically and don’t have the discretionary income to throw thousands to a half-done college football season, how can programs like Marshall do this?
 
This is where I’m a scratching my head with it. I can understand the P5 being able to play in empty stadiums because they rake in the tv dollars. Schools like Marshall don’t get a lot of tv money. We don’t have ABC, FOX, CBS, etc fighting each other to throw us money. We have stadium, through Facebook.

If fans are not allowed in the stadiums, how is there a cost benefit to Marshall to travel all over the country playing our conference games in empty stadiums? If programs like Marshall, who don’t get the millions from tv revenue, have a fan base who has been ravaged by this economically and don’t have the discretionary income to throw thousands to a half-done college football season, how can programs like Marshall do this?
Not sure they can. Honestly if Marshall were a business and not government, they would be furloughing and laying off people and that would mean inside the athletic dept.

I said there was a day like this coming for college sports. I did not know it would a pandemic to cause it.

Colleges may never bee the same either. People have learned that on learing is there and perhaps capable. Why would you pay $100,000 to go to college? This just accelearted it.

Many of the states are going to come out of this broke. How are they going to run football and athletic programs?
 
This is where I’m a scratching my head with it. I can understand the P5 being able to play in empty stadiums because they rake in the tv dollars. Schools like Marshall don’t get a lot of tv money. We don’t have ABC, FOX, CBS, etc fighting each other to throw us money. We have stadium, through Facebook.
A team like Michigan, for example, does bring in a lot of TV revenue, but not having 114,000 in there costs them dearly. Average ticket cost last year was $149.00, according to figures I just googled. Add in concessions, and all the team gear fans buy, and that's a lot of money. Multiply that by 7 or 8 home games per year. That's a substantial chunk of the almost $200,000,000 in annual revenue.

Then, they charge $50.00 for parking per car. That kills the folks that own those properties outside the stadium, particularly Pioneer High School.
 
I still think they can start the season in October or November. Play an abbreviated 8-9 game schedule and finish in late December. Move as many bowl games to early/mid January and be done with it.
The NCAA will not want to divert fans/attention from March Madness - that's their big money maker. Spring football season would suck.
 
Call me an silly optimist, but I think we will see much progress by end of June and will get the green light to resume classes and fall football. The distancing we are doing and all the great work being done across the country on treatments/testing/equipment will surely bring the numbers down in the manageable range after three more months. The economy cannot stand to be shut down the rest of the year; simple as that! And the development of a vaccine will come quicker than predicted. This virus does not mutate like the flu and other viruses, so development and testing of a vaccine should not take a year. Again, this is an optimistic view, but I hope I have blended in some realistic thinking as well.
 
Gentlemen be on the lookout for an interview with Mike Hamrick and yours truly tomorrow afternoon. We will discuss COVID 19 and its impact on the University, the state, and more.
 
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I'd hate to see a spring football season but if that is the only way to survive, then go for it. My understanding is that fall football without students in school has been completely ruled out by almost every commissioner. A delay to October is workable, but a delay without OOC gets sticky for G5 schools that need the dollars. The argument against football-when-other-sports-are being-played does not hold a lot of water for me. You could adjust basketball schedules, and my guess is that CFB would do well against others.
It will come down to how the TV contracts are written, how much the schools need the ticket revenue (and the donations that accompany them). I don't think anyone is proposing spring football as a great idea, but neither is staying home either...and that's where we are today. FYI, you could actually start a lot of football as early as February for most conferences with some creative scheduling (except the MAC). And you could delay the fall 2021 schedule. As far as the NFL, I doubt the colleges are too concerned about their draft.
 
I'd hate to see a spring football season but if that is the only way to survive, then go for it. My understanding is that fall football without students in school has been completely ruled out by almost every commissioner. A delay to October is workable, but a delay without OOC gets sticky for G5 schools that need the dollars. The argument against football-when-other-sports-are being-played does not hold a lot of water for me. You could adjust basketball schedules, and my guess is that CFB would do well against others.
It will come down to how the TV contracts are written, how much the schools need the ticket revenue (and the donations that accompany them). I don't think anyone is proposing spring football as a great idea, but neither is staying home either...and that's where we are today. FYI, you could actually start a lot of football as early as February for most conferences with some creative scheduling (except the MAC). And you could delay the fall 2021 schedule. As far as the NFL, I doubt the colleges are too concerned about their draft.
I don't know if I would watch in the spring. It just seems too weird.
 
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