Yesterday the Pac-12 conference announced that it has entered an agreement with healthcare manufacturer Quidel “to implement up to daily testing for COVID-19 with student-athletes across all of its campuses for all close-contact sports.”
The Pac-12 Conference announces it has entered into an agreement with Quidel Corporation to implement up to daily testing for COVID-19 with student-athletes across all of its campuses for all close-contact sports.
— Nicole Auerbach 😷 (@NicoleAuerbach) September 3, 2020
Constant and rapid testing being one of the main roadblocks towards the Big Ten and Pac-12 returning to play football, this news is massive for each conference’s return to sports and other athletic activity.
Big picture this situation also allows businesses, schools and more to see what happens when testing like this is done to a large asymptomatic group like a football team and then implement similar practices in their respective domains.
Everything about this sheds positive light on the path forward both in college athletics and in our country.
After the announcement yesterday Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott held a press conference and discussed what this breakthrough means for the conference and what the timeline towards playing looks like.
Here are some quotes that stuck out:
On the breakthrough being a major step towards playing:
Larry Scott: "This agreement is a major step toward the safe return of sport competition in the Pac-12."
— Nicole Auerbach 😷 (@NicoleAuerbach) September 3, 2020
On the overall importance:
Larry Scott explaining the importance of rapid testing: "This enables us to know every day before every athletic practice or game that everyone participating tested negative for COVID-19."
— Nicole Auerbach 😷 (@NicoleAuerbach) September 3, 2020
Quidel president on what this “study” can do for the rest of the country:
Doug Bryant, Quidel’s president and CEO, says the Pac-12 will become the largest asymptomatic study and can help determine the best protocols in other areas moving forward. "I think this could be extremely helpful in bringing the economy back."
— Nicole Auerbach 😷 (@NicoleAuerbach) September 3, 2020
A look forward at the timeline of when the conference will return to competition:
Larry Scott, on the decision to postpone all 2020 competition including basketball: "We didn't think we would have access (to rapid testing) until late November … Some things have changed." Says new later NCAA start date helps and could allow Pac-12 to start then, too.
— Nicole Auerbach 😷 (@NicoleAuerbach) September 3, 2020
Larry Scott says he is "hopeful" that, between the new rapid testing and the NCAA mulling a later start date, that the Pac-12 will be able to have a "pathway" to start basketball competition before Jan. 1, 2021.
— Nicole Auerbach 😷 (@NicoleAuerbach) September 3, 2020
And, finally, Scott’s comment that the conference is trying to align their football season with the Big Ten:
Larry Scott says he and Kevin Warren are speaking frequently. "A high priority for the Pac-12 would be to align our seasons … It would be awesome to have some of the traditional postseason opportunities the Pac-12 and Big Ten have enjoyed with each other."
..spring Rose Bowl!
— Nicole Auerbach 😷 (@NicoleAuerbach) September 3, 2020
Let’s focus on the last quote for a second and recognize the difference between the Big Ten and the Pac-12.
The Pac-12 found a testing breakthrough and held a press conference during which the commissioner was open, honest and clear about what it means and the path forward.
The Big Ten needed a lawsuit to force information out that there was indeed a vote between the presidents to postpone the season.
Notice the difference?
Anyway, the two conferences aligning their seasons makes sense at this point as it is looking increasingly unlikely that either will suit up this fall. It isn’t ideal, but a spring Rose Bowl game wouldn’t be the worst consolation prize.
Overall, though, this is tremendous news for the return of Big Ten and Pac-12 athletics as well as for our country as a whole. Maybe they still won’t play until the 2021 calendar year, but it’s clear they’re at least on the right track.
Stay tuned to BadgersWire as we follow everything surrounding the Big Ten’s plan and process towards returning to play football.