In a further sign of the times, the Mid-American conference has canceled its football season for 2020.
Now, before we jump off the college football bridge, it must be noted that non-Power Five schools canceling the season is more a product of no ability to make things work from a fiscal perspective. With the Power Five conferences largely electing to play conference-only games, the usual big-money payouts for playing the big boys just aren’t there for the Group of Five teams.
Budgets are tight in collegiate athletics, but they are even tighter for athletic programs that need this additional revenue to make things work.
Stadium’s Brett McMurphy was the first to report the news.
Huge news: Mid-American cancels fall football season because of COVID player health & safety concerns, sources told @Stadium. MAC took a huge financial hit when Power 5’s cut nonconference games & intends to try & play in spring, sources said #RIPMACtion https://t.co/V8F488nrF0
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) August 8, 2020
There is cause for concern though and we have to be realistic.
Even though this is a non-Power Five conference deciding to make this move, it still could have significant ramifications and domino effects for the rest of college football. The MAC is right in the footprint of the Big Ten, and the move will most likely be another decision point for conference commissioner Kevin Warren and the conference’s member athletic directors.
Remember, there are no games against MAC schools this year anymore, so there’s still a chance this thing gets off the ground. It sure feels like another pounding of the nail though, and we’ll just have to see how it all plays out and if there’s further reaction from the Power Five conferences.