What if high school sports don’t play in 2020-21?

Executive director says TSSAA would survive

A 2020-21 school year without sports would force the TSSAA to tighten its budget, but the organization would survive, executive director Bernard Childress told the USA Today Sports Network.

“Basically I told our staff, ‘Calm down . ... If we are sitting here this time next year and we haven’t generated any revenue whatsoever you need to be concerned,’” Childress said. “Otherwise, we are going to be fine.”

Childress estimated the TSSAA has lost $1.1 million in gross revenue with the cancellation of the boys and girls basketball state tournaments and all the spring state tournaments due to the coronavirus pandemic. That doesn’t include expenses incurred from the tournaments.

Childress said the TSSAA will not have to dip into its reserves until later this summer if it receives no revenue. The reserves are about $2.2 million, Childress said.

Childress said there have not been pay cuts or layoffs within the TSSAA staff.

Childress said the TSSAA has applied for economic relief through the Paycheck Protection Program. The Louisville Courier-journal reported that the Kentucky High School Athletic Association received $200,000 through the government program designed to help small businesses during the pandemic.

“I think every state association in the nation has applied,” Childress said.

Childress said the TSSAA plans to start fall sports on time, but staff members are working on alternative plans.

Golf season begins July 27. That coincides with the first official day of fall practice for the other sports, which can begin games on Aug. 17, including the first Friday night of football on Aug. 21.

Childress said if high school sports are not played in the fall, specifically football, that could affect whether some non-revenue sports are held at some schools later in the year.

“For a lot of schools, those regularseason contest funds from football and basketball help fund other sports,” Childress said. “We don’t want to get to a point without football in the fall then we get to the spring next year and schools say they can’t have a tennis team because they didn’t have a football season.”

Whitehaven football coach Rodney Saulsberry said his sport’s gate receipts help fund other athletic programs at the Shelby County school.

“Football is the moneymaker,” Saulsberry said. “Football pays the bills. It definitely would have an affect all across our athletic programs if we don’t have football.

“It’s something we know. We know even fundraising is going to be difficult this year. We’re thinking about strategies now on how to seek sponsorships. It’s going to be a challenge.”

In Knoxville, Fulton football coach Rob Black said his sport helps fund nonrevenue sports as well. If football isn’t played, it would be an issue for them.

“I get zero concessions,” Black said. “That money goes to fund our minor sports. Those guys don’t survive without us. What money we make is shared with other programs. Not only are we relying on it, our minor sports are, too.”

Saulsberry said he remains “hopeful” that football will be played this year.

“I’m in a positive mind,” he said. “If we don’t get ahead of ourselves, we should be OK. We can’t go too fast and open up too quickly. If so the second wave could be more dangerous and they may be overly cautious opening back up.”

Reach Tom Kreager at 615-259-8089 or tkreager@tennessean.com and on Twitter @Kreager.

HELEN COMER/DNJ TSSAA executive director Bernard Childress listens as the statement is made to limit the number of fans at girls and boys playoff games to immediate family members on March 12.

GEORGE WALKER IV/THE TENNESSEAN Fans watch the TSSAA girls basketball state championships quarterfinal games at Murphy Center on March 12 in Murfreesboro.