From the first day schools were shut down and seasons cancelled due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, sports fans everywhere have been searching for signs—any signs—as to when their favorite teams will ultimately be allowed to return to the field.
Predicting the future is a tricky deal, for sure. There are no certainties here.
However, after weeks of discouragement and doubts, there appears to be at least a little movement in a positive direction.
By now you’ve probably heard or read about Georgia president Jere Morehead’s recent comments on radio station WGAU that he “anticipates” all in-person instruction to begin on schedule in August, and that he remains “optimistic” that the 2020 football season will be played without much, if any, delay.
Since Morehead’s interview last week, we’ve seen other indications that specific plans are now starting to be made.
UGASports broke the news that one option under consideration, following a medical staff conference call, would have Bulldog coaches and players sequester on campus at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education and Hotel to begin what was described as a “combination spring-fall camp.”
Bulldog athletic director Greg McGarity confirmed this would be an option, after the SEC stated on Friday all in-person athletics activities, including practices and other organized gatherings, would remain suspended through May 31.
Although the SEC has not made an official statement in regard to when it would allow teams to resume, all signs continue to point to July as when teams could be allowed to prepare for the 2020 campaign.
According to a UGASports source, food venders at the hotel at the Continuing Education Center have been told that ordering will be ramped up for a July 1 start date.
Also, on Monday, Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek announced that plans are in place for the Razorbacks resuming activities in mid-July, although nothing is official.
Schools in other parts of the country are also making contingency plans.
But caution remains. Almost every story you read or hear about the 2020 season includes qualifiers such as “intend to,” “expect to," hope to,” or “plan to,” simply because, in many respects, there’s still so much we don’t know about COVID-19 and its effects. Will cases spike? Will they stabilize? That’s what experts a lot smarter than me are trying to determine.
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey indicated during his interview with Jacksonville radio station 1010 XL that “independent thought may play a role in the return of college football" and that “there is room for different conferences to make different decisions.”
But other conferences aren’t so sure about that.
During an interview with the Chicago Tribune, Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren said that his conference is at least six weeks away from making any key determination.
Like the SEC, the Big 10 put a hold on all organized team activities through May 31, with June 1 as the new start date to re-evaluate the current situation.
You can bet football will be played if at all possible.
A recent story by USA Today indicated that Power Five public universities estimated they could lose an average of $78 million apiece if football is not played.
Such a drop could prove a death knell for sports programs which are dependent on football to keep them afloat.
Georgia athletics, which reported $174,042,482 in operating revenue and $143,299,554 in operating expenses for the fiscal year that ended last June, would be able to survive a year without football, but others might not.
It’s knowledge like this that, right or wrong, will play a role in whatever manner of football we see played this fall.
The next weeks will no doubt be interesting, as more information is gathered and more knowledge is gained.
But at least we’re starting to see some encouraging signs, and that certainly beats the grim alternative.
