The coronavirus pandemic has forced many countries in the world to change their usual routines. With public gatherings banned, and social distancing becoming the new normal, many have wondered how major sports leagues in the United States will adapt to the new operating conditions. Major League Baseball has hit an impasse with its players after the league’s owners suggested that the players take a pay cut due to the ongoing pandemic. Fans are still waiting to see if the NBA’s plans to resume its season on July 31st in Orlando will take off without any hitches.

For college football, teams may have to revise their schedules due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Mark Emmert speaks on college football

NCAA president, Mark Emmert, recently revealed that the college football season could start in September and end by November. In a phone call with congressional Republicans, Emmert said that he anticipated the season to start as scheduled on Labor Day weekend. However, the season will have to end by Thanksgiving, which means that the playoffs will have to start earlier than planned. Emmert acknowledged that the NCAA does not have the power to modify the sports schedule because college football doesn’t have a central governing body. However, the athletics body has been advising the various football conferences on how to proceed in light of the prevailing circumstances brought about by the pandemic.

Emmert’s proposal for a shorter regular season appears to contradict the College Football Playoff committee which runs its activities independently from the NCAA. The committee had planned to have playoff games in January next year. However, with public health experts predicting that a second wave of the coronavirus could lead to an increased rate of infections in the autumn and winter, a shorter season may be the best plan to have any college football action this year.

Virtual team meetings

College teams have been holding virtual team meetings after they were forced to cancel spring training in March. However, some colleges have allowed student-athletes back into their campuses for voluntary team activities. In his phone call with the Republican sports congressional committee, Emmert also stated that teams would follow the local municipal and state guidelines in regards to allowing fans into the stadium to watch games.

While the statement gave fans hope that they will attend games this season, there could be some strict restrictions regulating the number of people present for one game. Despite the challenges, fans are happy that the college season is likely to start on time.

The condensed schedule could spring up a few surprises, and many analysts have predicted that there could be several upsets among the powerhouse teams this year. While many are hopeful that college football can overcome the challenges that other leagues are grappling with, uncertainty remains due to the unpredictable nature of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
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