Did Harvard University’s move towards complete online learning put other programs on notice — including Ohio State? Could this be the first domino to fall in others significantly modifying, or even canceling fall sports?
It wasn’t just Harvard though, although they did recently announce that only 40% of their undergraduate capacity will be back on campus with 100% remote instruction.
It was the Ivy League in totality that made a big splash with news further complicated by the unknown of the novel coronavirus. While everyone wants normalcy back, that’s still far off it seems.
That said, the Ivy League is going to vote on whether or not to push back all fall sports to the spring, the Athletic reported.
It feels as though the league is erring on the side of caution regarding the coronavirus which could still be spiking in pockets throughout the country. However, it could certainly vote to keep the schedule as is also. But, it is being discussed and voted on, so that alone is newsworthy.
How will it play out for other conferences then?
As Michigan’s President has already stated, it won’t have intercollegiate sports without students on campus, and this move by one of America’s leading institutions is a poor sign for a fall football season.
Everyone wants safety and low-risk taking, but football is also a huge allure not just for fans but for sponsors and the school’s revenue in general. However, given the cost of testing as well, this 2020 season would likely be more expensive than any other in Ohio State’s history.
Now, it’s not certain that other big-money and big-time leagues would follow suit, but more news will be breaking on the Ivy League’s voting soon. We’ll see if other leagues come in line with what it does.
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