Big Ten Cancels College Football Season, Will Try to Play in Spring
After days of rumors and multiple publications citing sources who had information about the Big Ten's decision regarding the college football season, it's finally over.
Tuesday afternoon, the Big Ten Conference announced its postponement of 2020-21 fall sports, "including all regular-season contests and Big Ten Championships and Tournaments, due to ongoing health and safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic."
The conference said they "relied on the medical advice and counsel of the Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee."
Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren has been concerned with player safety from the very beginning.
"The mental and physical health and welfare of our student-athletes has been at the center of every decision we have made regarding the ability to proceed forward.
"As time progressed and after hours of discussion with our Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee, it became abundantly clear that there was too much uncertainty regarding potential medical risks to allow our student-athletes to compete this fall," said Warren.
"We know how significant the student-athlete experience can be in shaping the future of the talented young women and men who compete in the Big Ten Conference. Although that knowledge made this a painstaking decision, it did not make it difficult.
"While I know our decision today will be disappointing in many ways for our thousands of student-athletes and their families, I am heartened and inspired by their resilience, their insightful and discerning thoughts, and their participation through our conversations to this point.
"Everyone associated with the Big Ten Conference and its member institutions is committed to getting everyone back to competition as soon as it is safe to do so."
Men's and women's cross country, field hockey, men's and women's soccer, football, and women's volleyball are all postponed until further notice; however, the Big Ten said they would continue to evaluate their options, including playing in the spring if possible.
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