Release Of Kickoff Times Delayed
Nothing is known about what the college football season will look like as schools and conference try to plan for the restart of sports during the COVID-19 pandemic.
That is why the TV networks that show college football — CBS, FOX, ESPN and their affiliated networks — announced on Tuesday that they would not be determining early-season start times.
The statement read:
Collectively, the conferences and television networks have agreed to an extension for determining college football’s early season game times beyond the standard June 1 deadline. These kickoff times and network designations will be announced at a later date as we all continue to prepare for the college football season.
It is unclear whether college football teams will play a full season in 2020. Plus, with other major sports and sporting events pushed back into the fall, the television windows for games will be shrinking.
So, too, may the number of fans in the seats for games. Iowa State athletics director Jamie Pollard announced on Tuesday that home football games will have an attendance limit of 30,000 fans, although that number could be adjusted before the season begins.
Some schools have already pushed up their academic calendars so the fall semester will end at Thanksgiving. That, too, may bring a change to college football schedules.
Iowa announced its schedule for return of players and coaches on Friday. Coaches and staff will be allowed back in the facilities on June 1, with football players back for voluntary workouts on June 8. Men's and women's basketball players can be back for voluntary workouts on June 15. Timelines for the returns of athletes in other sports have not been announced.
