U. Michigan President Says There Will be No Football in Fall if Students Aren’t on Campus
“If there is no on-campus instruction then there won’t be intercollegiate athletics, at least for Michigan”
It’s hard to imagine what the next school year would be like with no sports programs at some schools.
The Detroit Free Press reports:
University of Michigan president: No college football in fall if students aren’t on campus
Dr. Mark Schlissel’s thoughts on the possibility of a college football season have not changed.
If there are no students on campus this fall, Michigan’s president does not think there will be college football.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Schlissel — an immunologist by training — touched upon the potential return of athletics and the potential difficulties ahead.
“If there is no on-campus instruction then there won’t be intercollegiate athletics, at least for Michigan,” Schlissel told the Wall Street Journal. He also expressed “some degree of doubt as to whether there will be college athletics (anywhere), at least in the fall.”
Schlissel’s comments echoed his comments during an interview on CNBC in early May. He also says a decision on whether students will return this fall could be made “in the coming weeks.”
“Any decision we make for this coming fall is likely going to be the case for the whole academic year. What’s going to be different in January?” Schlissel said.
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Comments
Makes sense. The NCAA said something similar.
Michigan has a football team? asks an Ohioan.
As of today the SEC and BIG 12 are basically all in on playing the 2020 season. The ACC commissioner has stated that the ACC is likely to play even if some member institutions cant/won’t.
If the Big 10 and PAC 12 sit out a year they will be foregoing the massive revenue from College football. Further their conferences will be out of sight and out of mind for the season. That will impact their ability to recruit.
Their ability to retain the players on their rosters isn’t clear yet. Maybe the players will be granted an additional year of eligibility maybe not. In any case those with NFL potential could opt to transfer to a school in one of the three conferences intent on playing. Maybe these players will sit a year maybe not.
IMO it would be tragically stupid to fall into the trap of we can’t open up or go to school or play ball until we get a vaccine.
These university towns depend on student presence for their economies not just game day fans but every day. So does their public utility infrastructure. No students in town = no apartment rent= no utilities billed= no groceries purchased, no gas purchases etc from the missing students.
If these folks make their decision based upon TDS they deserve their fate. Now if the situation is scientifically proven to be too dangerous by all means quarantine their state but if not….