Winter Football?

[NJCat]

How would you feel about the college football season running from February to May, 2021? That's what ESPN's Chris Fowler is reporting. Frankly, I think this is unworkable for Northern (Yankee) schools. Can you imagine trying to clear Ryan Field after a February snowstorm? Playing on frozen dormant grass? Crazy idea IMHO.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/category/rumor-mill/

 

[Alan Smithee]

Winter 21-22 sounds doable.

 

[NUCat320]

How would you feel about the college football season running from February to May, 2021? That's what ESPN's Chris Fowler is reporting. Frankly, I think this is unworkable for Northern (Yankee) schools. Can you imagine trying to clear Ryan Field after a February snowstorm? Playing on frozen dormant grass? Crazy idea IMHO.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/category/rumor-mill/

Yeah, but think about the revenue that tv networks and schools would lose without a season. (Note that coaches would be made whole, and players would remain empty.)

 

[stpaulcat]

How would you feel about the college football season running from February to May, 2021? That's what ESPN's Chris Fowler is reporting. Frankly, I think this is unworkable for Northern (Yankee) schools. Can you imagine trying to clear Ryan Field after a February snowstorm? Playing on frozen dormant grass? Crazy idea IMHO.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/category/rumor-mill/

He doesn't live in Minnesota, obviously.

 

[willycat]

How would you feel about the college football season running from February to May, 2021? That's what ESPN's Chris Fowler is reporting. Frankly, I think this is unworkable for Northern (Yankee) schools. Can you imagine trying to clear Ryan Field after a February snowstorm? Playing on frozen dormant grass? Crazy idea IMHO.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/category/rumor-mill/

Hey, maybe NU could play their games in Milwaukee, in their domed ballpark. Is field large enough?

 

[stpaulcat]

Hey, maybe NU could play their games in Milwaukee, in their domed ballpark. Is field large enough?

No more surrogate fields!

 

[wicker]

Grid concurrent with hoops?

 

[No Chores]

Yeah, but think about the revenue that tv networks and schools would lose without a season. (Note that coaches would be made whole, and players would remain empty.)

Uh, the players would remain empty? They would continue to receive room, board, tuition, and spending money at a top 10 University, many for 5 years and both an undergraduate and graduate degree. That, in my humble opinion is not "remaining empty."

 

[GeauxCatsGeaux]

Even February 2021 seems optimistic to me.

 

[FeralFelidae]

Yeah, but think about the revenue that tv networks and schools would lose without a season. (Note that coaches would be made whole, and players would remain empty.)

With a whole other year of prep, though, maybe Hunter will finally be ready to play to his potential.

 

[rwhitney014]

How would you feel about the college football season running from February to May, 2021? That's what ESPN's Chris Fowler is reporting. Frankly, I think this is unworkable for Northern (Yankee) schools. Can you imagine trying to clear Ryan Field after a February snowstorm? Playing on frozen dormant grass? Crazy idea IMHO.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/category/rumor-mill/

Easy. Play in Ryan Fieldhouse like they do for lacrosse. Students allowed in assuming they're on campus, maybe a select few donors and season ticket holders, the ones who actually show up to games. We'd have it easier than most because we have that facility.

For what it's worth, a friend who practices law in this area told me last week that cancellation is not on the table, and that they would play in the spring well before they'd cancel the season.

 

[FeralFelidae]

Easy. Play in Ryan Fieldhouse like they do for lacrosse. Students allowed in assuming they're on campus, maybe a select few donors and season ticket holders, the ones who actually show up to games. We'd have it easier than most because we have that facility.

Not all schools have a Ryan Fieldhouse to play in. Are there enough teams with a Ryan Fieldhouse to have a season?

 

[rwhitney014]

Not all schools have a Ryan Fieldhouse to play in. Are there enough teams with a Ryan Fieldhouse to have a season?

For a guy who made a whole song and dance about putting me on ignore the other day, you seem to be responding quickly to many of my posts.

Read the last sentence again.

 

[stpaulcat]

Perhaps this has been discussed, but if there is not a 2020 season, I assume that players' eligibility would transfer to 2011, meaning seniors would remain in school for 5-6 years instead of 4-5 years, and so forth down to freshmen, if they chose to stay around. The upshot, is that NU could potentially lose a year of participation of some or all of their current roster, if they chose not to stay for the additional year for the one they lost.

 

[stpaulcat]

Not all schools have a Ryan Fieldhouse to play in. Are there enough teams with a Ryan Fieldhouse to have a season?

God, whatever happened to the "real" Big Ten, when they played in winter in November, and sometimes October? It's the Pros, but remember the Ice Bowl? Now, that's real northern football.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

How would you feel about the college football season running from February to May, 2021? That's what ESPN's Chris Fowler is reporting. Frankly, I think this is unworkable for Northern (Yankee) schools. Can you imagine trying to clear Ryan Field after a February snowstorm? Playing on frozen dormant grass? Crazy idea IMHO.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/category/rumor-mill/

At least you won’t catch the virus. There will be about 275 people in the stands for that Morgan State tilt.

 

[Deeringfish]

Yeah, but think about the revenue that tv networks and schools would lose without a season. (Note that coaches would be made whole, and players would remain empty.)

Might as well sequester the players and play in the fall with students and family only seated with the option of physical distancing. Let the tv get the revenues and the players get to play.

 

[FeralFelidae]

For a guy who made a whole song and dance about putting me on ignore the other day, you seem to be responding quickly to many of my posts.

Read the last sentence again.

Let's take it to one extreme and say we're the only team with a Ryan Fieldhouse to play in. Will there be a season?

What if there are only 10 teams with a Ryan Fieldhouse (or equivalent). Will there be a season?

What's the magic number?

 

[Titanium999]

He doesn't live in Minnesota, obviously.

Now that was funny!

 

[Titanium999]

Let's take it to one extreme and say we're the only team with a Ryan Fieldhouse to play in. Will there be a season?

What if there are only 10 teams with a Ryan Fieldhouse (or equivalent). Will there be a season?

What's the magic number?

We spent 278 million on that fieldhouse! What happens if we don't have football? 278 million plus 5 million for coach Fitz? Can we eat 283 million and call it a day? OMG!

 

[mickbula]

Maybe BIG league schools can have games in winter at the Indianapolis and Detroit-Ford indoor fields?? Maybe we could have games during the week and weekend as well- and just take turns? Try to space it between other games. More like basketball scheduling?? But just try to make it as close to a game a week for a team's schedule??

 

[rwhitney014]

Let's take it to one extreme and say we're the only team with a Ryan Fieldhouse to play in. Will there be a season?

What if there are only 10 teams with a Ryan Fieldhouse (or equivalent). Will there be a season?

What's the magic number?

Yes. They will find indoor facilities to play in. As mentioned on this thread, there are indoor facilities in Evanston, Minneapolis, Detroit, Indy, St. Louis, Syracuse, Fargo, and Cedar Falls. That’s in the greater Midwest alone. I’m sure other northern schools have indoor practice facilities that could be converted into useful enough for televising games.

Football is worth a crap ton of money to the universities, the networks and all of the the rest of the business side of college sports to televise these games. It’s the golden goose for college sports. Gate revenue is among the least amount of cash the games bring in, and location matters less when you’re not worried about getting local fans in the door. The media contracts might even be more valuable in a world where everyone has to watch on TV or streaming devices.

If they can play without serious risk of transmission to the kids and the coaches, they will do it, whenever and wherever and however they can. The rest is for the bean counters to figure out.

 

[Williesfan]

Maybe BIG league schools can have games in winter at the Indianapolis and Detroit-Ford indoor fields?? Maybe we could have games during the week and weekend as well- and just take turns? Try to space it between other games. More like basketball scheduling?? But just try to make it as close to a game a week for a team's schedule??

You have dooms in Minneapolis, Milwaukee if they have space for a football field and Detroit and Indianapolis. Schedule a game on Friday night, Saturday and Sunday. That’s a possible 12 game options every weekend or at least 6 for 14 teams.

 

[Deeringfish]

In the past month of social distancing, I've been impressed with the number of innovative high and low tech ways people have come up with to enhance distancing.

I've always believed that there is almost always a way to do things if you are willing to accept the compromised process and result. I think there would be ways to have a regular season but would we (leadership, society, culture, players, coaches, you name us) be able to agree on level of the sacrifice. Right now, players and coaches would have to submit to extreme levels of isolation so that they could meet in practice and then on the field and you would have to play to nearly empty stadiums. Who knows what strategies could be developed in the next number of months to make the process less intrusive?

 

[phatcat]

It's funny - we are such sports fans that we are talking about playing football in February, and/or about kids staying another year like it's no big deal. I mean, TJ Green has already been approved for a 6th year, would he want a 7th? Isn't Jesse Brown about 28 years old by now? I can't speak for all of you, but when I finished classes, I was on a dead-run across the stage and out the door. I love NU, but I was...done.

As for cold weather games, I'd support an away game in Balt against Morgan State at M&T bank stadium. I could walk to the game. Plus the winters here are wimpy. What about you, DogRugby Cat?

 

[TheC]

Unless there is a real break through in the next few months, I don't see anyway we have sports with fans in attendance until maybe this time next year.

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Might as well sequester the players and play in the fall with students and family only seated with the option of physical distancing. Let the tv get the revenues and the players get to play.

Yes. They will find indoor facilities to play in. As mentioned on this thread, there are indoor facilities in Evanston, Minneapolis, Detroit, Indy, St. Louis, Syracuse, Fargo, and Cedar Falls. That’s in the greater Midwest alone. I’m sure other northern schools have indoor practice facilities that could be converted into useful enough for televising games.

Football is worth a crap ton of money to the universities, the networks and all of the the rest of the business side of college sports to televise these games. It’s the golden goose for college sports. Gate revenue is among the least amount of cash the games bring in, and location matters less when you’re not worried about getting local fans in the door. The media contracts might even be more valuable in a world where everyone has to watch on TV or streaming devices.

If they can play without serious risk of transmission to the kids and the coaches, they will do it, whenever and wherever and however they can. The rest is for the bean counters to figure out.

Unless there is a real break through in the next few months, I don't see anyway we have sports with fans in attendance until maybe this time next year.

One would expect that Plans B, C, and D are already being articulated on a conference by conference basis. We will likely see different approaches being phased in gradually on a trial basis in different regions of the country. Getting the product on TV sooner rather than later with fans at the games being a lesser priority is probably where we are headed.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Report: Major public colleges could lose more than $4 billion if college football season canceled
https://sports.yahoo.com/report-maj...llege-football-season-canceled-153214829.html

This is why there will be some fashion of a season.

 

[mickbula]

Have you heard that specially trained dogs can smell a person and tell if they have something like certain cancers? Well, I just heard a report that dogs are now being trained to be able to smell people and tell if they are covid-+! Maybe there will be german shepards at the stadiums/arenas smelling every player/fan to tell if they can play or root from the stands?? This is really getting crazy!

 

[NCRNU71]

You have dooms in Minneapolis, Milwaukee if they have space for a football field and Detroit and Indianapolis. Schedule a game on Friday night, Saturday and Sunday. That’s a possible 12 game options every weekend or at least 6 for 14 teams.

Good idea but there are also some NFL teams that would also be using those facilities and likely have long term contracts.

 

[rwhitney014]

Good idea but there are also some NFL teams that would also be using those facilities and likely have long term contracts.

Not if it's after the Super Bowl. They'd be in their own practice facilities if they are allowed to congregate. Pretty much every NFL team only enters their stadium on game day anyway, unless you're a Bears kicker trying to figure out the wind in Soldier Field.

The bigger conflicts would be with the concerts, monster truck shows, rodeos, conventions, etc. that rent these facilities out. But those won't have fans in them if they're happening at all either, so it shouldn't be impossible to sort out. Complicated, yes, but the major financial stakeholders have too much at stake just to let it go.

That said, I'll be pissed off if we're exposing college kids to danger of contracting the virus without protection so we can all have some entertainment. I desperately want there to be sports this fall (or spring, or whenever), but the kids who aren't even taking a salary should not be the ones providing it. It's crazy to think that we'd be staging billions of dollars' worth of sporting exhibitions while the kids can't even be on campus. But that's the world we live in.

 

[TheC]

Not if it's after the Super Bowl. They'd be in their own practice facilities if they are allowed to congregate. Pretty much every NFL team only enters their stadium on game day anyway, unless you're a Bears kicker trying to figure out the wind in Soldier Field.

You are clearly not a Cincinnati Bengal fan.

 

[Inovacat]

You have dooms in Minneapolis, Milwaukee if they have space for a football field and Detroit and Indianapolis. Schedule a game on Friday night, Saturday and Sunday. That’s a possible 12 game options every weekend or at least 6 for 14 teams.

And St. Louis.

 

[rwhitney014]

You are clearly not a Cincinnati Bengal fan.

You've got me there. I am a Dolphins fan, which isn't much better. What gave me away?