While the MAC, the Big Ten and the PAC-12 have cancelled their fall football season due to the risks imposed by the coronavirus pandemic, the Big 12, SEC and ACC are dragging their feet, still (at the time of this post) committed to an autumn schedule. Do they have medical data not available to the rest of us? Of course not.
The clear answer is that these conferences primarily represent Red States where conservative ideology is anti-government and anti-science. They are minimizing the risks to players and coaches (despite recent evidence that a small but significant percentage of young adults develop myocarditis from Covid-19) and presumably will allow tailgate gatherings and fans in the stadiums. Tradition and financial concerns appear to trump (pun intended) science and common sense.
Long an ardent fan of college football (though I quit in 2018) and conscious of the emotional and economic benefit of college sports, I applaud the conferences that have withdrawn support for fall football. A poorly managed pandemic has forced their decision and the safety of players, coaches, fans and students must outweigh a "hope for the best" approach.
The clear answer is that these conferences primarily represent Red States where conservative ideology is anti-government and anti-science. They are minimizing the risks to players and coaches (despite recent evidence that a small but significant percentage of young adults develop myocarditis from Covid-19) and presumably will allow tailgate gatherings and fans in the stadiums. Tradition and financial concerns appear to trump (pun intended) science and common sense.
Long an ardent fan of college football (though I quit in 2018) and conscious of the emotional and economic benefit of college sports, I applaud the conferences that have withdrawn support for fall football. A poorly managed pandemic has forced their decision and the safety of players, coaches, fans and students must outweigh a "hope for the best" approach.
