Ryan Glasspiegel
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While some conferences like the Big Ten and Pac-12 are canceling non-conference games and by doing so tacitly indicating that they are punting on September, the Big 12 and SEC are fortifying. One example of that came on Monday when University of Texas athletic director Chris del Conte sent a letter to season ticket-holders saying that the plan is for them to forge ahead with games at 50 percent capacity.
Read the letter, which was shared on Twitter by Roger Wallace of KXAN:
The other noteworthy part of that letter is the emphasis in the first sentence that Texas is still “currently planning” to host their season opener against USF on September 5th; therefore, they are not planning to skip the month of September.
Coronavirus cases have been escalating in Texas. Nevertheless, while deaths can be a lagging indicator, Texas has had just 144 deaths per million of population whereas New York is approaching 1,700 and New Jersey is approaching 1,800. Here is how all the states are faring in that regard.
Back to football: Let’s say the Big 12 and SEC play in September but the Big Ten and Pac-12 do not. The ACC is a wild card. How on Earth is the College Football Playoff committee going to reconcile such a substantial difference in the number of games played when it comes time to select the Final Four?
Great info, Ryan!
A question I have for major conferences is how they will be able to continue funding multi-million dollar athletic departments with no football crowds bringing in revenue? I believe these big football programs fund not just themselves, but the larger athletic department. If you cut 60,000+ ticket sales each week at a major program you’re cutting funding for other university athletic teams who can’t generate enough money to cover costs. Unless these programs maintain large reserve cash holdings they won’t be able to stay afloat for long with no football revenue. At some point this reality has to factor into decisions, or thousands of university employees will lose jobs and thousands of kids will lose athletic programs and the scholarships that come with them. At some point the risk of not going back to normal will outweigh the risk of covid. Sadly, I think not enough people have been laid off yet for us to truly feel the urgency to get back to work. When we do feel it that may be too late.
The University of Memphis has a similar plan.