Will there be a season?

[Thelakerman]

It isn't possible for those more at risk to avoid exposure. Because if a football game is attended by 110,000 people, all of which are *not* at higher risk of complications, then they obtain the virus at the game and spread it throughout all of their own communities at stores, offices, restaurants, etc., and those who are more at risk are still exposed to the virus despite not being in high-risk situations. All it takes is one of those 110,000 people to fiddle around with a box of cereal at the store, a high-risk person comes and gets that cereal 20 minutes later, and now that virus is with the high-risk person.

It is why nothing is going to be "normal" until a vaccine is available that builds a person's antibodies.

[champgymusa]

Now there's a bunch of rumors of a football season in the spring of 2021, with a championship around memorial day.

Doubtful at best....you are asking some kids to play 30 games in 7 months...thats not going to happen...injuries would be off the charts and lawsuits would shut that down...remember these guys are no professionals...the NFL wont even think of doing that cause the union would kill it..I dont have the answers thats for sure...but lets give this a little time to settle down and then see if maybe people that are at high risk just have to stay home this year...if we have no college football for a season the NCAA as we know it will be gone..the Power 5s and smart D2 and D3s will survive, the rest? Well...gonna be crazy FOR SURE!!! Wish ya all the best...stay home, stay safe, forget sane, thats gone....

[KleShreen]

It isn't possible for those more at risk to avoid exposure. Because if a football game is attended by 110,000 people, all of which are *not* at higher risk of complications, then they obtain the virus at the game and spread it throughout all of their own communities at stores, offices, restaurants, etc., and those who are more at risk are still exposed to the virus despite not being in high-risk situations. All it takes is one of those 110,000 people to fiddle around with a box of cereal at the store, a high-risk person comes and gets that cereal 20 minutes later, and now that virus is with the high-risk person.

It is why nothing is going to be "normal" until a vaccine is available that builds a person's antibodies.

[Thelakerman]

I don't think the worry is about it going through a football locker room. The issue would be about it going through a stadium full of 110,000 people, many of which are at higher risk for complications. And there is no evidence of any lasting immunity from contracting the virus/disease and recovering. Mounting evidence is showing that it just goes dormant until flaring up again, and that the body doesn't produce enough antibodies on its own to actually defeat it.

[KleShreen]

https://watchstadium.com/will-there-...in-03-30-2020/

Now there's a bunch of rumors of a football season in the spring of 2021, with a championship around memorial day.

[twolfbenchwarmer]

https://watchstadium.com/will-there-...in-03-30-2020/

[twolfbenchwarmer]

[Tony Nicolette]

The Ohio state AD has summed up my stance pretty well on playing without fans.
"That one I've thought about a little bit, I struggle with that concept. When I first heard [games without fans] I said, 'OK, that could work.' But if we don't have fans in the stands we've determined it's not safe for them in a gathering environment. Why would it be safe for the players?"

I would suppose there is a logic that states that the environment could be a bit more "controlled" without fans. It's not a stretch to think that a far more accurate and quick test could be widely available by that point (120+ days away), and players, coaches, officials, and game crew would be tested a set amount of time prior to the game. Pre-game fever checks would also be a likely part of the equation. The NCAA could limit both teams to a travel-roster, so you'd have about 110 total players. Add in coaches, crew, officials, and you could keep the whole enterprise to roughly 200-250 people. Sticking with the OSU example, 250 people is a FAR more controlled environment than the 100,000+ that would typically be involved at The Shoe. I find it curious to think that the OSU AD couldn't walk himself into that conclusion, but whatever.

With all of that said, there is still so damn much we don't know about this garbage that I'm starting to align to an extreme version of what Mrs. Melon suggests: if a lot isn't figured out by August, this season will be lost.

I also agree with what she suggests about the long-term damage to programs. On these very boards, I have talked at length about how many schools are in untenable positions with their choice of division. I have also talked about how the NCAA has, in many ways, outlived its usefulness to a large cross-section of its members. We may see more and more of those scenarios become painfully apparent in the weeks and months to come. Once we succeed in knocking down this virus, much of how we approach our world will likely be forever changed. The sports we love will undoubtedly have impacts to them that we haven't even thought about yet...

[twolfbenchwarmer]

The Ohio state AD has summed up my stance pretty well on playing without fans.
"That one I've thought about a little bit, I struggle with that concept. When I first heard [games without fans] I said, 'OK, that could work.' But if we don't have fans in the stands we've determined it's not safe for them in a gathering environment. Why would it be safe for the players?"

[MrsThortonMelon]

If there is no season in 2020 I dont think you will need to worry about most schools for 2021...they will drop their programs due to cost. Thats ALL programs including football...many programs are so over extended that every missing a few games is going to be an issue. Shorten seasons will perhaps save football but the non rev sports are flat gone. The D2 model will start to look very good to many schools that should have never gone D1 in the first place. Way to early to guess but if the kids are not back on the field by August I think its pretty much over for this year. Revenues will drop and its going to look quite ugly...this could be the one that makes us all wake up and get college fixed once and for all...the money has gone crazy...is any coach worth 5 million? I guess we are going to see real soon. No politics here but this going to get very very ugly. Anyone want to go to a Wayne State game soon? Those hot spots are a war zone..its tough to compare all the sites...but whats gotta happen is a vaccine before anyone gets back for sure...

[KleShreen]

I don't think the worry is about it going through a football locker room. The issue would be about it going through a stadium full of 110,000 people, many of which are at higher risk for complications. And there is no evidence of any lasting immunity from contracting the virus/disease and recovering. Mounting evidence is showing that it just goes dormant until flaring up again, and that the body doesn't produce enough antibodies on its own to actually defeat it.

[KleShreen]

They definitely have the rapid test right now. The issue is cost at around $60 per test. But the results are as immediate as a pregnancy test. What we really need ASAP is an antibody test. Who knows how many of us are a part of the 18-25% that contracted the virus without having symptoms.

But so far there is no evidence of any lasting immunity from contracting the virus and recovering from it. China and South Korea are currently going through second waves where a number of people who were positive a few months age, then tested negative, are now positive again. They are trying to determine if there is just no lasting immunity, or if the virus is never actually defeated and just goes dormant until flaring up again randomly. And they have no idea how long people are contagious if the latter is the case.

[BeachinLaker]

I think testing will be mass-produced enough and at a low-enough cost and at a rapid-enough result rate where many sports will be able to test everyone playing/coaching/staffing events on the spot and get immediate results and we'll have sports. That's why I think we'll see sports come fall, because CFB and the NFL will gladly pony up the money for 400 test kits for each game that provide immediate results and they'll just quarantine anyone who tests positive and not allow them to play/coach/work until they recover.

They definitely have the rapid test right now. The issue is cost at around $60 per test. But the results are as immediate as a pregnancy test. What we really need ASAP is an antibody test. Who knows how many of us are a part of the 18-25% that contracted the virus without having symptoms.

[Thelakerman]

[KleShreen]

If they don't stop screwing around and get around to testing everyone, we might not get football this year.

I think testing will be mass-produced enough and at a low-enough cost and at a rapid-enough result rate where many sports will be able to test everyone playing/coaching/staffing events on the spot and get immediate results and we'll have sports. That's why I think we'll see sports come fall, because CFB and the NFL will gladly pony up the money for 400 test kits for each game that provide immediate results and they'll just quarantine anyone who tests positive and not allow them to play/coach/work until they recover.