Coronavirus Pandemic Impacts

[Pablo]

https://www.espn.com/college-sports...liminates-conference-tournaments-other-sports:

"The Mid-American Conference announced Tuesday that it would change its men's and women's basketball schedules and conference tournaments and eliminate conference tournaments in eight sports beginning with the 2020-21 season, in a series of cost-cutting measures to stem the financial fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.

A working group set up to explore efficiencies in operations across the 24 conference-sponsored sports came up with the plan, which covers the next four seasons but offers the ability to be reevaluated as the economic situation stabilizes.

Men's and women's basketball will move to 20-game conference schedules, and their respective conference tournaments will field eight teams. Opening-round games on campus sites have been eliminated.

Conference tournaments are canceled in field hockey, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's tennis, women's lacrosse, softball and baseball. Softball and baseball will also play only 30 regular-season games.

In addition, there will be streamlined formats for seven other championships: volleyball (four-team event), men's and women's swimming and diving (now a three-day event), men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field (two-day event) and men's and women's golf (two-day event).

There were no announced changes to the MAC football championship game. In a news release, the conference noted "MAC member institutions will continue to operate consistent with NCAA Division I FBS regulations." The MAC is a Group of 5 conference.

The economic fallout hitting conferences and universities across the country has forced administrators to make hard decisions about where to cut costs. Several commissioners have discussed reducing schedules and travel in non-Olympic sports and cutting tournaments, but the MAC appears to be the first to formally announce those steps."

Mason competes in the MAC in wrestling, which has no announced changes.

 

[Five Two]

UT Chattanooga making some changes, notably any newly scheduled away games must be 150 miles from campus to limit expenses
https://www.gamingtoday.com/race_sports/article/90508-Budget_crunch_could_impact_NCAA_travel

 

[gmutom]

UT Chattanooga making some changes, notably any newly scheduled away games must be 150 miles from campus to limit expenses

I wonder if that is also to limit flying. I traveled more than 70 days on business last year and have already had a dozen trips canceled this year. As much as I love being on the road, I have no desire to be in an an airplane or hotel room anytime soon.

 

[phoenix-arizona]

GMU can aim to be the masters of VA and Maryland.

 

[Pablo]

https://atlantic10.com/news/2020/5/...-modifies-schedules-championship-formats.aspx:

"NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The Atlantic 10 Conference concluded its 2020 Annual Spring Meetings Wednesday, which were held virtually for the first time in league history. The A-10 athletic directors, men’s and women’s basketball coaches and conference staff conducted video conference calls over three days to discuss key issues.

'We had our annual yearend conference business meeting to address key league topics, as well as the many issues we are facing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the national economic crisis facing higher education and intercollegiate athletics. The decisions made, including revisions to our conference schedules, championship formats, policies and procedures were extremely difficult. However, each was considered and discussed with empathy, in consideration of the health, welfare and safety of our student-athletes, coaches, support staff and overall athletic programs,' stated A-10 Commissioner Bernadette V. McGlade.

'These are extraordinary times and the Athletic Directors are leading in extraordinary fashion as evidenced by their willingness to make smart, hard decisions for the 2020-21 season while remaining committed to staying focused and resilient as circumstances in our world of athletics and academia change on a daily basis. The hope is that there will be a return to campus and classes with the ability to implement the necessary COVID-19 protocols for the fall semester. Should this not occur, the conference is prepared to go back to the drawing board and reevaluate with medical professionals all decisions in the best interests of our student-athletes and programs,' added McGlade.

Decisions approved that will apply to only the 2020-21 season were to regionalize and condense conference schedules by 25 percent in the sports of field hockey, volleyball, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, baseball, softball and women’s lacrosse. These revised schedules will allow for institutions to ensure a safer environment, minimize travel and missed class time, and conserve cost while still providing competitive schedules for the student-athletes and coaches. Additionally, the 2020-21 Atlantic 10 Championships for volleyball, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, baseball, softball and women’s lacrosse were each reformatted to a four-team championship. This will minimize travel exposure, provide a final four competitive experience and allow for the championships to be conducted in one weekend. Other revisions to events and policies included the decision to conduct men’s basketball media day, sport committee meetings and administrative/governance meetings virtually, again minimizing travel exposure and time away while maintaining cost containment.

The men’s and women’s basketball coaches each held their annual meetings, discussing scheduling, NCAA legislation and processes for the return of their student-athletes to campus and safe training. The 2020-21 conference schedule pairings were discussed, and the men’s 18-game, and women’s 16-game pairings will be delivered this week."

 

[Five Two]

The tournament changes make sense but am curious what 'regionalize and condense conference schedules by 25 percent' means. Below was the 2019 men's soccer schedule. 17 total games and 8 A10 games. So they'll play 6 A10 conference games, but can keep the 11 OOC if they want to do so? And the regionalized approach is tricky. We are lucky that we have GW, vcu, La Salle, St Joe's and Duquesne within easy driving distance (Richmond doesnt offer men's soccer). Maybe add Fordham and there is our 6 games. It can't be perfect and somebody on the east coast is going to have to long trips.

vs American
@ Navy
@ Appalachian St
@ Campbell
vs Liberty
@ Drexel
vs Gardner-Webb
vs Bucknell
@ GW
@ Longwood
vs Dayton
@ Saint Louis
vs Davidson
@ St Bonaventure
vs LaSalle
@ Fordham
vs vcu

 

[GSII]

Now everybody knows what it was like dealing with Hewitt....aka THE VIRUS.

 

[Pablo]

https://s3.amazonaws.com/bgsufalcons.com/documents/2020/5/15/BGSU_Athletics_Announcement.pdf:

"Bowling Green, Ohio – Bowling Green State University today announced that it has eliminated the men’s baseball program effective immediately. This action is being taken as part of a plan for a $2 million reduction to the operating budget of the intercollegiate athletics department.

'This was a very difficult, but necessary, decision,' Director of Athletics Bob Moosbrugger said. 'As a baseball alumnus, my heart breaks for the families affected by this decision. We will ensure the student-athletes in the program have support during this challenging time. We will honor their scholarship agreements through graduation and, should they pursue their collegiate baseball career elsewhere, we will assist in the process of finding a new home.'

With the change, BGSU will now sponsor 17 NCAA Division I sports (six men’s sports and 11 women’s sports). The move affects 34 student-athletes and three coaches. 'While we remain committed to supporting Division I athletics programs, we must do this in a financially sustainable approach,' said BGSU President Rodney K. Rogers. 'We have made the difficult decision to eliminate the baseball program due to financial constraints. This decision was not made lightly, and does not reflect the rich history of the program, including five Mid-American Conference championships and four NCAA regional appearances.'"

 

[Pablo]

https://www.wyff4.com/article/furma...rloughs-during-coronavirus-outbreak/32585793#:

"GREENVILLE, S.C. —
Furman University announced Monday that it would cut the salaries of the president and senior administrators, implement furloughs and budget reductions and discontinue the baseball and men’s lacrosse programs.

The school's baseball program started in 1896, and has played every year since then, except for five years: from 1931-32, during the Great Depression, 1936 and 1944-45 during World War II, WYFF News 4 Investigates reports."

 

[Five Two]

I had a former college athletic administrator (no affiliation with Mason) tell me the new guard of athletic execs don't want to be over the NCAA minimum # of sports they have to offer. While the pandemic forces Furman and Bowling Green, etc to make cuts, it gives some of the larger budget schools cover to make the cuts they've wanted to make. They want to allocate as much $$ on sports where they can win. Its a matter of convincing school presidents to make the cuts, but many old-school thinkers don't want to treat the athletic dept like a business. Nice to know I'm not alone on my island. I'd prefer not to have global pandemic to force change, though.

 

[Pablo]

https://cmuchippewas.com/news/2020/5/19/general-cmu-athletics-announces-program-changes.aspx:

"As part of strategic budget planning amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Central Michigan University Athletics Director Michael Alford announced today the university's decision to discontinue its men's track and field program, effective immediately.

Alford said the difficult decision — which impacts men's indoor and outdoor track — was made amid looming universitywide budget cuts.

"We did not make this decision lightly, but we are facing a new financial reality due to enrollment challenges and now COVID-19," Alford said.

 

[Quentin Daniels]

I wonder if that is also to limit flying. I traveled more than 70 days on business last year and have already had a dozen trips canceled this year. As much as I love being on the road, I have no desire to be in an an airplane or hotel room anytime soon.

Same.

On the plus side, my Hertz Presidents Circle, Bonvoy Platinum, and SWA A-List statuses all being extended through the end of 2021.

 

[GMUgemini]

https://cmuchippewas.com/news/2020/5/19/general-cmu-athletics-announces-program-changes.aspx:

"As part of strategic budget planning amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Central Michigan University Athletics Director Michael Alford announced today the university's decision to discontinue its men's track and field program, effective immediately.

Alford said the difficult decision — which impacts men's indoor and outdoor track — was made amid looming universitywide budget cuts.

"We did not make this decision lightly, but we are facing a new financial reality due to enrollment challenges and now COVID-19," Alford said.

I want to see one of these small football schools drop the hammer on their football program, which is the real money sink in their AD. For example: "CMU spent about $6.61 million on football, but generated revenue of about $2.2 million. That leaves a deficiency of $4.56 million."

Western Michigan is even worse, they lost $5.6 million on football in 2019.

 

[Five Two]

On the plus side, my Hertz Presidents Circle, Bonvoy Platinum, and SWA A-List statuses all being extended through the end of 2021.

If you have status with Amtrak Guest Rewards, your status was extended through Feb 28, 2022.

 

[Pablo]

I had a former college athletic administrator (no affiliation with Mason) tell me the new guard of athletic execs don't want to be over the NCAA minimum # of sports they have to offer. While the pandemic forces Furman and Bowling Green, etc to make cuts, it gives some of the larger budget schools cover to make the cuts they've wanted to make. They want to allocate as much $$ on sports where they can win. Its a matter of convincing school presidents to make the cuts, but many old-school thinkers don't want to treat the athletic dept like a business. Nice to know I'm not alone on my island. I'd prefer not to have global pandemic to force change, though.

So, if you were the AD, would you drop 6 sports at Mason (from 20 to the minimum of 14)?

 

[sleeperpick]

So, if you were the AD, would you drop 6 sports at Mason (from 20 to the minimum of 14)?

100% goodbye men’s tennis, cross country, golf and women’s rowing, lacrosse and tennis. We aren’t good at any of the above so we aren’t losing prestige and they are just tiny money pits that have 0 ROI

 

[Pablo]

100%

Which 6 sports would you drop?

 

[sleeperpick]

Which 6 sports would you drop?

See edit

 

[Quentin Daniels]

Conference membership may require a certain number of scholarships and teams fielded in for certain sports.

I have zero first hand knowledge on it but I'd be really surprised if that's not negotiated when a new school joins a conference. Or else what's to stop every school from dropping their lower performers and instead focus on where they're most regionally competitive and profitable only?

 

[sleeperpick]

Conference membership may require a certain number of scholarships and teams fielded in for certain sports.

I have zero first hand knowledge on it but I'd be really surprised if that's not negotiated when a new school joins a conference. Or else what's to stop every school from dropping their lower performers and instead focus on where they're most regionally competitive and profitable only?

No clue either... But I know we can get down at least 2 sports (1 male/1female)... We technically have 20 while I know for a fact other A10 schools have 18... Quick google search didn't help much to see if we could go lower than 18 though