Some schools plan to bring football players back by June 1; Michigan has announced no such plansgetty images
The Univ. of Michigan will not have a football season this fall unless all students are able to be back on campus for classes, and UM President Mark Schlissel noted that "isn't a sure thing," according to Korn & Higgins of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. Schlissel said of a decision on the school year, "Any decision we make for this coming fall is likely going to be the case for the whole academic year. What’s going to be different in January?" Korn & Higgins noted though some other schools are "planning to bring football players back for voluntary training as early as June 1, Michigan hasn’t announced any such plans for its athletes." Schlissel said that the team and associated staff could be "tested regularly, if or when they do return." Schlissel: “If there is no on-campus instruction then there won’t be intercollegiate athletics, at least for Michigan." He noted he had “some degree of doubt as to whether there will be college athletics (anywhere), at least in the fall.” Schlissel: "I can't imagine a way to do that safely" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 5/25).
UPDATE FROM THE DESERT: Univ. of New Mexico President Garnett Stokes said there is a "continuing future for college athletics" amid the pandemic, but added it is "going to be some tough times." Mountain West Commissioner Craig Thompson recently said that it would be "difficult to imagine other sports being played if the football season isn’t held," as he noted football accounts for about 85% of the conference’s revenues. UNM AD Eddie Nunez said that the financial losses "will total in the millions for each Mountain West school." His department is "already reporting" a deficit of $2.25M with a year-ending projection that will see it climb well over $3M (SANTA FE NEW MEXICAN, 5/24).
