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Power 5 Conferences Moving Toward Canceling Fall Sports

SI Online, 8/9/20
https://www.si.com/college/2020/08/09/ncaa-football-season-likely-to-be-canceled

"High-level conference meetings are being planned for this week across the college football landscape with the expected resolution of postponing fall sports until 2021, multiple sources have told Sports Illustrated."

"Conference USA had a call previously scheduled for Wednesday, but that may be moved up, sources said. Sun Belt presidents have a regularly scheduled Tuesday morning meeting, as do AAC athletic directors."

""In the next 72 hours college football is going to come to a complete stop,” one industry source said."

Rundown of FCS Conferences for Fall 2020 sports

# of teams in parens

# of teams in cancelled conferences: 38
# of teams in postponed conferences: 41
# of FCS teams: 123

I have tried to rely only on actual conference press releases and if not found, then on a member school's press release.

If these team numbers are correct, then <50% have actually cancelled. If >50% end up postponing (ie playing but later) , how would that affect FCS playoffs?

Note that excluding Ivy and SWAC do NOT participate in FCS playoffs.

Big Sky (13): Postponed until spring
https://bigskyconf.com/news/2020/8/7/big-sky-postpones-football-conference-competition-until-spring.aspx

Big South (7): ???

Colonial (12): "Suspended" (sounds like cancelled)
https://villanova.com/news/2020/7/17/caa-football-votes-to-suspend-conference-competition-in-2020.aspx

Ivy (8): Cancelled
https://ivyleague.com/news/2020/7/8/general-ivy-league-outlines-intercollegiate-athletics-plans-no-competition-in-fall-semester.aspx

MEAC (9): "Suspended" (cancelled)
https://famuathletics.com/news/2020/7/16/general-famu-releases-statement-on-2020-fall-sports.aspx

MVC (10): Postponed
https://goredbirds.com/news/2020/8/7/missouri-valley-football-conference-postpones-fall-season-looks-to-spring.aspx

Northeast (8): Postponed
https://northeastconference.org/news/2020/7/29/GEN_NEC_Postpones_Fall_Sports_Competition_and_Championships_Rel_20.aspx

OVC (9):????

Patriot (7): Cancelled
https://patriotleague.org/news/2020/7/13/general-patriot-league-announces-decisions-surrounding-fall-sport-season.aspx

Pioneer (10): Cancelled
http://www.valpoathletics.com/football/news/2020-21/19894/pioneer-football-league-will-not-conduct-conference-competition-in-fall-2020/

Southern (9): ????

SLC (11): ????

SWAC (10):Postponed
https://swac.org/news/2020/7/20/general-swac-releases-statement-regarding-fall-sports-competition.aspx

https://bigten.org/news/2020/8/11/general-big-ten-statement-on-2020-21-fall-season.aspx

8/11/2020 3:00:00 PM
Big Ten Statement on 2020-21 Fall Season

"The Big Ten Conference announced the postponement of the 2020-21 fall sports season, including all regular-season contests and Big Ten Championships and Tournaments, due to ongoing health and safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic."

https://pac-12.com/article/2020/08/11/pac-12-conference-postpones-all-sport-competitions-through-end-calendar-year

Pac-12 Conference postpones all sport competitions through end of calendar year
by Pac-12 Conference
Aug 11, 2020

"The Pac-12 CEO Group voted unanimously to postpone all sport competitions through the end of the 2020 calendar year."

{This is not the same as postponing "fall sports" as some "winter sports" start before end of year (say basketball and indoor track)....NCAA has three competition seasons ...fall, winter, spring.}

https://www.southland.org/news/2020/8/13/football-southland-conference-postpones-league-competition-in-fall-semester.aspx

SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE POSTPONES LEAGUE COMPETITION IN FALL SEMESTER
8/13/2020 10:00:00 AM

FRISCO, Texas -- The Southland Conference Board of Directors has determined that league competition in the sports of football, volleyball, women’s soccer and cross country will be postponed from the fall semester with an intent to explore conference competition in the spring semester. Meeting frequently in recent weeks, including Wednesday afternoon, presidents of the 13 Southland members also authorized planning for spring semester championship events for volleyball, soccer and cross country.

Institutions may choose to participate in limited fall competition.

“After thoughtful consideration, the Southland Conference Board of Directors reached consensus in postponing league competition for our fall semester sports,” Dr. Houston Davis, Board Chair and President of the University of Central Arkansas, said. “Protecting competitive opportunities in a safe manner for our student-athletes was paramount in the review, and a delay to the spring allows campuses and athletic departments to get a better handle on issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“The Board concluded that an entire fall sports season is not likely, and that a postponement to spring can provide the important opportunities our teams annually seek,” Southland Conference Commissioner Tom Burnett added. “While disappointed that we won’t be playing these sports in the Southland’s 58th year of fall competition, we look forward to a unique spring season of athletics that also includes NCAA postseason opportunities.”

It is expected that Southland athletic directors will immediately begin work with the Southland staff to determine spring competitive planning and other issues.

https://themw.com/news/2020/8/10/general-mountain-west-postpones-2020-fall-sports.aspx

Mountain West Postpones 2020 Fall Sports

The Mountain West has announced the indefinite postponement of all scheduled fall sports contests and MW championship events in response to ongoing challenges with the effective mitigation and management of the COVID-19 virus in conjunction with athletic competition. The MW Board of Directors prioritized the physical and mental health and well-being of the Conference’s student-athletes and overall campus communities in its decision – as it has done throughout the course of the pandemic.

The fall sports affected by today’s decision include men’s and women’s cross country, football, women’s soccer and women’s volleyball (with the exception of the unique circumstances involved with the military service academies). Last week, the league announced that all fall competition in the sports of men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s tennis, women’s swimming and diving, men’s and women’s indoor track and field, softball and baseball was canceled. At this time, there are ongoing discussions regarding the status of winter sports.

The Mountain West will begin to explore the feasibility of rescheduling fall sports competition, including the possibility of those sports competing in the spring, and develop options for consideration. Athletically-related activities and training opportunities for enrolled student-athletes will also be evaluated consistent with NCAA legislation and guidance, as well as state, local and campus parameters.

Updated SEC fall 202 0 competition plan

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (August 27, 2020) – The Southeastern Conference has established new start dates and formats for the SEC cross country, soccer and volleyball seasons as well as the fall golf and tennis seasons, as the 14 members of the SEC continue to monitor developments related to COVID-19, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey announced Thursday.

The 2020 SEC men's and women's cross-country season will consist of a minimum of two and a maximum of three competitions prior to the SEC Championship in Baton Rouge on October 30. The season will take place between September 11 and October 23 and may include competition against non-conference opponents provided those schools adhere to SEC COVID-19 testing protocols.

The 2020 SEC soccer season will consist of an eight-match, Conference-only regular season over eight weeks of competition beginning September 18, followed by the SEC Championship, November 13-22, in Orange Beach, Alabama. All 14 schools will compete in the SEC Championship with each team guaranteed at least two matches

The 2020 SEC volleyball season will consist of an eight-match, Conference-only schedule over six weeks of competition beginning October 16 with each school competing against four opponents twice in the same weekend on back-to-back days.

SEC soccer and volleyball teams will participate in spring competition as well, with details of formats contingent on final decisions by the NCAA to conduct spring championships in those sports.

For the 2020 fall segment of the men's and women's golf and men's and women's tennis seasons, SEC teams may compete in up to three team events beginning no earlier than October 1. SEC golf and tennis teams will be limited to events involving only SEC members or non-conference teams from the geographic region of the SEC school.

The SEC had previously announced in July that the sports of cross country, soccer and volleyball would be postponed through at least August 31.
In addition, fall practice activities and intra-squad games are permitted in the sports of baseball and softball, but exhibition games against outside competition is prohibited in the 2020 fall semester.

The SEC announced in July that student-athletes in all sports who elect to not participate in intercollegiate athletics during the fall 2020 academic semester because of health and/or safety concerns related to COVID-19 will continue to have their scholarships honored by their university and will remain in good standing with their team.

The SEC's Return to Activity and Medical Guidance Task Force continues to meet on policies and procedures for the safe return of student-athletes to competition, building on the NCAA's Resocialization of College Sports Guidelines.

CROSS COUNTRY
Season runs September 11-October 23
Seven (7) weeks of competition
Compete in a minimum two (2) events (maximum of three) prior to SEC Championships
No restrictions on opponents; must adhere to SEC Testing protocol the week leading into competition
No more than 10 teams may compete in a single race
Schools may not compete in consecutive weeks

SOCCER
Season runs weekend of September 18-November 8 (eight total weeks)
Eight (8) regular season matches plus at least two (2) matches at the SEC Tournament
Regular season includes six (6) divisional opponents and two (2) crossover opponents (4 home/4 away)
One (1) match per week – play dates will be either Friday, Saturday or Sunday based on campus activities & television.
Matches may move to Thursday on the fifth weekend of the season for make-up dates.
14-team Conference Tournament – Nov. 13-22; each team guaranteed at least two (2) matches

VOLLEYBALL
Season runs weekend of October 16-November 27
Six (6) weeks of competition
Compete against four (4) opponents; same opponent twice in the same weekend
Eight (8) total matches

GOLF AND TENNIS
Teams may compete in up to three team events
Competition can take place no earlier than October 1
Teams are limited to events involving only SEC members or non-conference teams from the school's geographic region

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2907840-university-of-utah-to-furlough-entire-athletic-department-amid-pandemic

9/5/2020

University of Utah to Furlough Entire Athletic Department amid Pandemic