2020 schedule changes to come?

[Flipper]

Logically...I don't think they play. Do not...however...underestimate the power of cable/streaming $$$. I could see the Big Ten getting on board with no fans in attendance scheduling that allows the BTN to make some $$$ back off their investment. A college like Morehouse..with no concerns re those $$$ has already cancelled. Michigan...with a lot of skin in that game..is making a lot of noise about playing

[Schadenfreude]

I think I could see an 8 game regular season of just conference games, then a college football playoff with 8 teams (expansion because of the lack of non-conference match-ups to gauge conference strength) in which all P5 champions get in and there are 3 wildcard slots. There would only be a playoff - no other bowl games would be played.

This feels like the absolute best case scenario right now, and it doesn't seem likely.

I'm skeptical that the MAC would play a football season with only conference games or empty stadiums. Maybe the Big Ten could afford to do that, but I don't think the MAC is in that position.

[threestooges]

I think I could see an 8 game regular season of just conference games, then a college football playoff with 8 teams (expansion because of the lack of non-conference match-ups to gauge conference strength) in which all P5 champions get in and there are 3 wildcard slots. There would only be a playoff - no other bowl games would be played.

This feels like the absolute best case scenario right now, and it doesn't seem likely.

I'm skeptical that the MAC would play a football season with only conference games or empty stadiums. Maybe the Big Ten could afford to do that, but I don't think the MAC is in that position.

But if the Big Ten does that (and it's sounding like they might), two of our games and our two big payouts disappear. Even if we wanted to try to add non-conference games, we'd be scrambling to find opponents. I hope there's something in the Ohio State & Illinois game contracts that enable us to still receive some money if those schools cancel the games, but I doubt there is.

[Schadenfreude]

I think I could see an 8 game regular season of just conference games, then a college football playoff with 8 teams (expansion because of the lack of non-conference match-ups to gauge conference strength) in which all P5 champions get in and there are 3 wildcard slots. There would only be a playoff - no other bowl games would be played.

This feels like the absolute best case scenario right now, and it doesn't seem likely.

I'm skeptical that the MAC would play a football season with only conference games or empty stadiums. Maybe the Big Ten could afford to do that, but I don't think the MAC is in that position.

But if the Big Ten does that (and it's sounding like they might), two of our games and our two big payouts disappear.

Exactly. It makes me wonder if we play football at all this school year.

[hammb]

Just got an ESPN notification on my phone that the Big10 is looking at conference games only.

That pretty well cancels BG's season. No way we play a season without the dollars generated from those payday games.

[BGFalconfromCincy]

Big 10 likely playing only conference games for all fall sports, including football. Official decision and announcement next week

https://www.espn.com/college-football/s ... ports-fall" target="_blank

[mbenecke]

Just got an ESPN notification on my phone that the Big10 is looking at conference games only.

That pretty well cancels BG's season. No way we play a season without the dollars generated from those payday games.

This question comes from a bit of dollars/cents ignorance (forgive me):

Is it not worth it financially for the MAC to play their weeknight MACtion games? Is there a scenario where every game is played on a Tuesday night, to increase TV revenue?

[hammb]

Just got an ESPN notification on my phone that the Big10 is looking at conference games only.

That pretty well cancels BG's season. No way we play a season without the dollars generated from those payday games.

This question comes from a bit of dollars/cents ignorance (forgive me):

Is it not worth it financially for the MAC to play their weeknight MACtion games? Is there a scenario where every game is played on a Tuesday night, to increase TV revenue?

Even if we assume we give them all of the non-football content for free, the entire sum of that ESPN contract won't cover the expenses of our coach salaries, let alone travel, etc. I don't think that the year contract is even as much money as the 1 Saturday in Columbus would net us.

I just can't see MAC football playing this year without those payday games, unless they're willing to lose even MORE money on football this year than in year's past. I think it's more likely they cancel the season entirely and furlough anybody associated with the program to save money. They'll most likely still give the players their scholarships, but it's a lot easier to stomach the loss of those dollars by reducing travel/recruiting costs to basically zero.

The thing to remember with MAC football is it's a net loss on any day we're not playing against a Power5 school. It's almost always cheaper to NOT play those games than it is to play them. Those payday games (and the small kickbacks we get from the playoff) are supposed to help offset some of those costs. I'll be curious if they take away that kickback as well in an abbreviated season...

I guess I'm overly pessimistic, but I just can't see the MAC schools, given the current climate, playing football this year knowing that it will be such a major financial investment (moreso than usual).

[guest44]

Could BGSU get out of some of these insane coaching contracts given unforeseen circumstances?

[Schadenfreude]

I just can't see MAC football playing this year without those payday games, unless they're willing to lose even MORE money on football this year than in year's past. I think it's more likely they cancel the season entirely and furlough anybody associated with the program to save money. They'll most likely still give the players their scholarships, but it's a lot easier to stomach the loss of those dollars by reducing travel/recruiting costs to basically zero.

I guess one question becomes: How much additional money is saved by not playing football? I assume scholarships are a cost would not walk away from. Is furloughing coaches realistic? (This could crush the revival the current staff is building.) Are game day expenses significant?

This decision by the Big Ten (and the ACC, and perhaps other P5 conferences) appears a convenient way to save money while postponing the decision on whether or not to actually play football at all for another month or so. Perhaps the MAC takes the same approach for now.

The bigger picture is that safety has to come first. College students are going to be college students, and I just don't know how much will change in a month. It might not be safe to play football this year. One program could do everything right and still get infected by another program that isn't taking this as seriously. (And no school in FBS appears to be taking this pandemic less seriously than one school in particular on our schedule this fall.)

[2006Grad]

Teams that also just lost their opening game:
Florida Atlantic
Illinois State
Washington
Monmouth
Northern Iowa
Towson
Plus Kent state home/away for fun?
Couple semi local options that might work if BGSU really wanted fill the schedule, but if the Big 10 didn’t think it was safe, schools with smaller budgets are gonna be hard pressed to sell the idea of games to the players.

[roguewarrior]

If you don’t play, you are still paying for probably 90% of the budget.... salaries, scholarships, food, room and board.... your not saving anything not playing, and you don’t roll over to placate these a holes ruining our lives! There are not mass graves and bodies lining the streets... this is madness.

[FalconTurf]

If you don’t play, you are still paying for probably 90% of the budget.... salaries, scholarships, food, room and board.... your not saving anything not playing, and you don’t roll over to placate these a holes ruining our lives! There are not mass graves and bodies lining the streets... this is madness.

Sorry to go here but you must acknowledge that some of the states to first open back up are now seeing hospital ICU's fill up. It might not be the youth that are filling most of those beds but we are in this thing together. Imagine if the greatest generation would have had this attitude - would we be speaking German or Japanese?

The focus needs to be slowing this down, improving treatment and quickly working toward a vaccine. I have HS kids that will not play in college and they will never get these months of sports, music, proms, etc back. It's their generation's sacrifice. They are disappointed but moving forward because that's what you do.

[Flipper]

Hospital ICU's tend to run close to capacity all the time...they're very expensive and carrying excess capacity isn't a sustainable business model

[BillyLP]

Hospital ICU's tend to run close to capacity all the time...they're very expensive and carrying excess capacity isn't a sustainable business model

This is largely true, but a majority of hospitals in larger cities have sections that are essentially backup ICUs, which are counted in the ICU bed count because they have the same capabilities/staff training. Those overflow ICU areas are what is starting to fill up in Florida, Texas, Arizona. The hospital I work at still has plenty of rooms, for now, but a lot less than last week, and even less than the week before. Luckily, they have a backup plan to turn one of the parking garages into an ICU extension with portable air conditioners, but a lot of hospitals don't have that capability. It's irresponsible to say anything will happen for sure, but if I had to guess, I'd say our death counts are going to start climbing at a pretty exponential rate in the next two weeks.