Mid-American Conference cancels fall football
The Mid-American Conference on Saturday became the first league at college football's highest level to cancel its fall season because of the pandemic.
“I'm heartbroken we are in this place,” MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher said.
With the MAC's 12 schools facing a significant financial burden by trying to maintain costly coronavirus protocols, and the uncertainty that campuses can be opened safely, the conference's university presidents made the decision to cancel all fall sports — including soccer and volleyball — and explore making them up in the spring season.
Though postponing could also prove costly without revenue generated by football media rights deals and ticket sales.
“It would be naive to say that you don't give thought and consideration to what the financial ramifications or any decision are, but this was a health and well-being decision first and foremost,” Steinbrecher said. “As we sit here today we don't know what this will mean financially and how the rest of the fall plays out.”
He added the decision was unanimous among the membership.
Nine of 13 conferences that play in the Championship Subdivision have already postponed fall football seasons, with an eye toward making them up in the spring.
But in FBS, conferences have been putting in place plans — however tentative — for the coming season. The Power Five went first. The Southeastern Conference released its revised 10-game conference-only schedule Friday with much fanfare.
SIXERS’ SIMMONS NEEDS SURGERY
All-Star Ben Simmons will have surgery on his left knee, a big blow for the Philadelphia 76ers and their hopes of making a deep run in this season's playoffs.
The 76ers announced Saturday that Simmons will be leaving the NBA's season-restart bubble at Walt Disney World. There was no immediate timeframe for his return, and it's likely that no firm timetable on his recovery will be set until after the surgery.
Simmons left Philadelphia's game against Washington on Wednesday midway through the third quarter because of injury, officially diagnosed as a subluxation of the left patella. A subluxation is a partial and temporary dislocation; the patella is the kneecap.
Tests performed since revealed a loose body inside the knee, which led to the decision for surgery.
MLS WILL RESUME SEASON
Buoyed by the MLS is Back tournament and confident of its coronavirus protocols, Major League Soccer will resume its regular season with teams playing in their home cities.
The league's 26 teams will each play 18 games, with the first between FC Dallas and Nashville set for Wednesday. Dallas and Nashville will play three games against each other, having been forced to withdraw from the MLS is Back tournament because of COVID-19 cases.
A majority of games will be played without fans because of local regulations. Teams will be subject to a rigorous testing protocol and will use charter flights or buses.