Summer is football ramp-up season. But the COVID-19 pandemic is throwing a wrench in many plans to get the game started across different landscapes. Let’s discuss.
THE NFL’S ADJUSTMENTS
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport has some notes on where things stand a little less than three weeks before training camps open:
Other notes:
— Where fans are allowed at games, they will wear face coverings.
— Actual training camp schedule of practices can be tied to the preseason game questions, so not there yet.
— The economics are not yet finalized, either. https://t.co/Q1CZqusMRG— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 10, 2020
Plenty of noteworthy things, some of which are going to be jarring for fans.
Disallowing fans at training camp is something I’ve long assumed. Things were already going to be limited after the Bears announced they were moving operations from Bourbonnais to Halas Hall, but the slim chance of limited fans in Lake Forest left the building once the pandemic grew. At least Rapoport allows for the possibility for fan events at stadiums during the preseason, although he offers up no details on what those might look like.
As for fans wearing face coverings once they are allowed to watch games in stadiums, that felt like a given, too. That aspect was something that popped up in recent reports regarding how the NFL planned to attack playing a season in the midst of a pandemic.
The NFL taking small steps toward creating necessary precautions is better than the alternative, but I wish there was more transparency throughout the whole process.
And then there’s this:
NFL teams will be forbidden from postgame interactions within 6 feet of each other and jersey exchanges between players will be prohibited during the 2020 season, sources say.
Another way the NFL will look different in the COVID-19 world.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 9, 2020
These players spend three hours tugging on each other’s jerseys. So what’s the point of banning jerseys exchanges after the game? I understand limiting exposure risk to players, coaches, and others … but it’s not as if the coronavirus stops when the games are going on. So, again, I ask what is the idea behind this measure? It’s odd, to say the least — especially when you need players to buy in on more important measures down the road.
THIS ISN’T IDEAL
San Francisco 49ers kicker Robbie Gould shed some light on issues players are facing as we near training camp:
Just now on @WaddleandSilvy & @ESPN1000.
@RobbieGould09 just said, with only a few weeks till Training Camp, the NFL still hasn't given specific guidelines or protocol for players to play safely and what happens if they happen to get Covid19.
This should be done already.
— Greg Braggs Jr. (@GBraggsJr23) July 9, 2020
I understood not mapping out plans in early March, but time is no longer on the NFL’s side. And while the league has made vague references to having contingency plans in place, it’s unsettling that players hadn’t been informed earlier about the protocol they’ll be following. Much of the confusion, misunderstanding, and uneasiness of this could have been solved with clearer communication from the league side.
BIG TEN CALLS OFF NON-CONFERENCE GAMES
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought uncertainty to the football calendar. We’ve seen schools take steps to postpone (and in some cases, cancel) Fall sports. On Wednesday, the Ivy League canceled the Fall sports schedule. A day later, the Big Ten took its own sweeping measures by nixing the non-conference schedule.
Here’s the league’s statement on the matter:
Big Ten Statement on 2020-21 Fall Season:https://t.co/KLjc4mA47h
— Big Ten Conference (@bigten) July 9, 2020
Moving to a conference-only model for all sports is an understandable concept, but there are plenty of schools whose budgets are going to take a hit because of this decision. This isn’t to say I’m against it because I understand why it was done in the first place. It’s just that this is going to have a trickle-down effect that will impact those beyond the scope of the Big Ten’s reach.
MOVING FORWARD IN ILLINOIS
I thought it was worth sharing what’s happening locally and with the IHSA, as we will soon turn to what’s happening closer to home:
CPS students could start summer sports programs as soon as Monday — but there will be no locker room talks or parents mingling around the soccer field. https://t.co/HC1DuXbL4p
— Chicago Tribune (@chicagotribune) July 9, 2020
The IHSA sent out notifications to schools of changes to the Phase 4 Return to Play. These include:
*No contact drills/contact between athletes
*Everyone must wear a mask (TBD if this includes outside while social distancing)
*Strict 50 person limit to all indoor activities— Darren Kinnard (@deuceandabuse) July 9, 2020
Also in the correspondence sent to the schools, Anderson noted the changes had not yet been approved by IDPH. This would include the clarification on whether masks would be required outdoors.
— Darren Kinnard (@deuceandabuse) July 9, 2020
And if you don’t think this is serious, here’s this:
Texas may not have high school football in 2020 https://t.co/ZWXrCOGO6e
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) July 9, 2020