Big Ten may delay football camps
COVID-19 testing protocols must be set first
MADISON – Although Wisconsin and all other Big Ten teams are scheduled to open preseason football camp next week, continued work on testing protocols for COVID-19 could delay that process and eventually the start of the season.
Big Ten athletic directors received a letter Thursday outlining the league's plans. Commissioner Kevin Warren and Chris Kratochvil, the chair of the Big Ten's Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases, signed the letter.
According to the letter, first reported by elevenwarriors.com:
“The pandemic has made it challenging to provide information as early as we would like, but it is important for us to be thorough and transparent. We will not, and cannot, proceed with preseason camp until we are certain that we can do so safely and that will depend, in part, on testing.
“Once we have everything in place to execute our testing protocols effectively, including the appropriate number of tests secured for all fall sports, we can make a decision as to whether preseason camp will begin as currently scheduled.
“We anticipate making that decision within the next 5 days.”
Five conference members – Ohio State, Michigan State, Indiana, Maryland and Rutgers – were forced to suspend workouts because of positive
tests. Michigan State and Rutgers implemented team-wide quarantines.
The Atlantic Coast Conference on Thursday approved a 10-game conference schedule, along with one nonconference game, to start Sept. 7. The plan allows Notre Dame to play an ACC schedule in 2020 and compete for the league title.
The SEC followed the ACC by approving a 10-game, conference-only schedule to start Sept. 26.
The Pacific 12 on Friday announced a 10-game conference schedule, set to begin on Sept. 26. The league title game is set for Dec. 19, at the site of the higherseeded team.
The Big 12 has not announced its plans but league teams have received waivers to play nonconference games as early as Aug. 29.
Big Ten officials noted in the letter to the league's athletic directors that they cannot guarantee fall sports will be held in 2020:
“We remain hopeful to compete this fall in men's and women's cross country, field hockey, football, men's and women's soccer, and women's volleyball, understanding that we must operate in a manner that seeks to address the challenges that COVID-19 presents.
“If we determine as a Conference that it is not prudent to compete in the fall of 2020, we will not do so, much like our decision in March 2020 to cancel the Men's Basketball Tournament in Indianapolis.
“Our final decision will be rooted in guidance from medical experts and in consultation with institutional leadership, student-athletes, coaches and appropriate federal, state, and local authorities.”