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Big Ten Football Rumor....

mullin17

Well-Known Member
Jul 2, 2001
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The Big Ten is expected to announce today that it will go with a conference-only football schedule for this fall
 
The Big Ten is expected to announce today that it will go with a conference-only football schedule for this fall

Yes it would be okay for Iowa to go play Rutgers or Maryland but NOT okay for them to play Iowa state or northern Iowa..... ridiculous

People doing things just for the sake of seeming like they are doing something
 
Yes it would be okay for Iowa to go play Rutgers or Maryland but NOT okay for them to play Iowa state or northern Iowa..... ridiculous

People doing things just for the sake of seeming like they are doing something
Maryland send emails to students today announcing 80% of undergrad classes will be online.
 
Hate that the Buckeyes game in Oregon at Autzen is off the schedule. That was going to be a good one.
 
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What the difference between conference and non conference games? You can get it either way but I guess it makes people feel better. At this point less than 1% of the population has been infected and the cure rate in 95.6% i have no clue why we are shutting down life over this. People need to be vigilant but life should go on.
 
Yes it would be okay for Iowa to go play Rutgers or Maryland but NOT okay for them to play Iowa state or northern Iowa..... ridiculous

People doing things just for the sake of seeming like they are doing something

I think their thought process was not about avoiding traveling, but being able to limit exposure with less games. Most importantly, I think only allowing conference play gives them greater oversight when it comes to testing and ensuring schools are following procedures put in place.
 
If it's okay for the Big Ten to go conference-only, why isn't it okay for the Catholic League to do the same?

they have a couple million dollars to test 80 players multiple times/wk Well Ignatious might, but not sure the rest of the league can swing that
 
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The interesting connection here depends on which Big Ten schools you look at...Sure, Illinois' likely 3-0 non-conference record might have started a great season...But from a business standpoint, 3-0 in bought games doesn't do a lot for the Illini bank account because the crowd in Memorial Stadium for those games generally doesn't pay for the payout to the visitor (ISU in the opener maybe, Bowling Green & UCONN not likely).

Assuming they keep the current schedule and just add one, from a potential "gate" standpoint trading the three non-con games for another Big 10 home game could be massive - since the teams the Illini don't play are Michigan, Michigan State and Penn State (or...ehhh...Maryland). Sure, strength of schedule skyrockets...I don't see the conference giving the Illini Maryland, Indiana & Rutgers in crossovers...Even if they only can put 1/3 capacity, the Illini only had about 19,000 season tickets sold by May...

A bigger issue might be the Power 5 making a move to crush the rest of the FBS...I wonder if MAC schools will be able to remain at the same level if they lose a year of bought games. School are already axeing sports...Losing bought games might force a new official level between the Power 5 and FCS...
 
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I think their thought process was not about avoiding traveling, but being able to limit exposure with less games. Most importantly, I think only allowing conference play gives them greater oversight when it comes to testing and ensuring schools are following procedures put in place.

I agree with you, but the main reason they did this and which I believe is the prudent move is for flexibility. The extra weeks off will allow the switching around of games like chess pieces when there will be an outbreak of Covid 19 which there invariably will be. Smart move. I wouldn’t be surprised If certain high school conferences matched, although with the 5 games needed to get in the playoffs, it would be tricky and would cost some lower level teams a playoff run and their conference some tournament dollars. The AD’s are earning their pay this year.
 
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Illinois just announced 20% capacity at all home games at Memorial Stadium. Social distancing, face coverings, reserved seating and no tailgating for all attendees.
 
How do they plan to attract so many more fans?

I get the sarcasm, but typical for Illinois football, they get some momentum and all of a sudden this crap happens... I am thinking they have been drawing about 30K a game, which is around 50%??? So now they will be capped at around 13K??? ouch

The state school this will really hurt is Illinois State.. With Hancock only holding 12Kish, they will only be allowed to have about 2400 fans.. thinking their average has been about 9K
 
Illinois just announced 20% capacity at all home games at Memorial Stadium. Social distancing, face coverings, reserved seating and no tailgating for all attendees.

Illinois pretty much acknowledged this was going to happen in May. The Fan Council was told in May that the Athletic Department was studying several NFL team studies (they distributed the Dolphins). Basically the ticketing computer is going to put season ticket requests together and skip 6 feet...then skip two rows. So my 4 tickets, then skip 4 seats, next guy has 4 tickets, then skip 4 seats, next guy has 8 tickets, then skip 4 seats...The concept of general admission just got panned...

Illini had 19,000 season tickets sold beginning of May. If you haven't been to an Illini game recently, its pretty apparent they have refused to sell tickets in the upper east side main stands for several years - basically making crowds look better on TV because there are no TV angles which show the upper main stands under the balcony. I watched Homecoming against Wisconsin last fall from the 50 yard line...with definite social distancing. I don't think that social distancing will change the actual number of people in the stands very much...
 
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