ACC Commissioner Anticipating Fall Football but Preparing for Other Scenarios

Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner John Swofford offered fans a glimmer of hope Thursday afternoon.

During a virtual press conference, Swofford announced that the conference is anticipating a 'relatively' conventional football season but also playing it smart by financially planning for different scenarios amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Those scenarios could result to no football or even worse, no sports at all.

"I would emphasize that we are going into this year with the anticipation of playing (football and other fall sports) at this point in time," Swofford said. "Most of our institutions have indicated that they intend to open in various fashions as we fall. But there's a lot that can happen between now and then.

"But I think you'll find our campuses moving forward athletically to try to be ready in every way, shape, and form to open the fall sports season and then if we're not able to do that, when that time comes, be prepared to do it in whatever abbreviated fashion we can do so."

While anticipation is fun, the return of athletics depends on the arrival of students. Luckily for Carolina, Chancellor Kevin M. Guskiewicz penned a letter to the Tar Heel student body addressing that Carolina will be conducting vital research on the treatment, prevention, and tracking of COVID-19; the research operations are expected to return in June and July.

"As we look ahead to this summer, we don't know what the future holds. With safety as our first priority, we are preparing for a phased reopening of the University and working alongside Carolina's world-class infectious disease experts to develop a plan that would prepare us to reopen the University's research operations in June and July and to have students back in August. We will be making an announcement with details of the plan later this month."

The school will be doing a phased reopening, probably similar to Gov. Roy Cooper's play for North Carolina, easing us back into normality while being cautious and protective of everyone's safety.

But this scenario is not a one size fit all.

Swofford also addressed the possibility that some schools may not be on the path the UNC is on. Schools in areas that considered 'hotspots' for the pandemic have their seasons on the line and could result in a loss; can the ACC sporting seasons still function?

"I think probably so." Swofford said, "I don't know what the threshold is on that. We haven't really reached a point of having that discussion. I'm sure we will in due time as to whether it's three-fourths or two-thirds or 50 percent or whatever it might be.

"But I don't think some schools not being able to compete necessarily keeps a majority of the schools who could compete from competing. It's premature to answer that question fully at this point."

While returning to normal is the ideal situation, normal may not ever return. The cost of sports returning should not come at the expense if 18-year-old kids and putting them in dire circumstances for a little entertainment. Speaking as someone who has lost a loved one to this pandemic, there needs to be fluid and cohesive return where answers are repeated by every commissioner, athletic director, and coach in every conference.

A safe return is more important than a costly one.

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