🏈 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is reporting the B1G is now considering a Thanksgiving starting date.

[TerryP]

Make of it what you will. I'd say "who the hell knows" but that's a question falling into the redundant category.

I wouldn't be shocked if we hear something along the lines of "things have improved so we're now looking at a October starting date.

 

[BamaFan334]

Make of it what you will. I'd say "who the hell knows" but that's a question falling into the redundant category.

I wouldn't be shocked if we hear something along the lines of "things have improved so we're now looking at a October starting date.

Yep, they seem to be creeping back to a fall start to try and save some face. One thing I do find interesting is that the Pac-12 hasn't said a word about playing, from what I recall.

 

[TerryP]

One thing I do find interesting is that the Pac-12 hasn't said a word about playing, from what I recall.

And we have't heard much about their revenue sharing demands since as well. Coincidence?

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

Just setup after the fuking election and get on with it....

 

[50+yeartidefan]

Just setup after the fuking election and get on with it....

Right mid- November...about right... or "reckon so"

 

[OldPlayer]

B1G is done for 2020. The head of the conference has said it will not be revisited. They are aiming for "Spring." They've even started searching for indoor arenas to make playing easier during January - March.

 

[BAMANEWSBOT]

Sources: Thanksgiving weekend start an option for Big Ten football

A Thanksgiving weekend start for the postponed Big Ten football season is under discussion, sources tell ESPN.

www.espn.com

The Big Ten is discussing Thanksgiving weekend as one of several options to start its football season, sources tell ESPN.

An early January start with an eight- or nine-game schedule at indoor venues has generated the most discussion so far, but pushing the season kickoff to around Thanksgiving also is under consideration.

The Big Ten on Aug. 11 became the first Power 5 conference to postpone its fall football season, citing medical concerns related to the coronavirus pandemic. The league's process concerning the decision has generated criticism from coaches, administrators, players and players' parents. Eight Nebraska players on Thursday filed suit against the conference, demanding that the postponement decision be invalidated.

Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren on Aug. 19 said the league had formed a return to competition task force, which will examine options for football season and other fall sports.

"It may be a little earlier, but around January," Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez, a leading member of the return to play task force, told ESPN earlier this week. "We may try to start earlier. We're talking to all of the TV people, trying to get all of the information and see what fits. We still have to go through our chancellors and presidents to OK it."

Alvarez said a winter season, not a spring season, is the focus for the Big Ten. Indoor venues such as Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ford Field in Detroit and U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis are being considered to host Big Ten games.

Big Ten coaches such as Ohio State's Ryan Day and Penn State's James Franklin have pushed for the season to start in early January and wrap up before the NFL draft. Several Big Ten coaches told ESPN that a top priority with the delayed season should be not disrupting the fall 2021 season.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel was first to report the possible Thanksgiving weekend start.

 

[planomateo]

B1G finds a new way to shoot their foot. These guys.

 

[Elderfalsedemigod]

Didn’t think they could make a worse decision than to lie about playing “in the spring “. I was wrong

 

[bama alum]

Supposedly, they want to start after they've sent the students home after Thanksgiving so they can keep all their players in a bubble. Great idea, Warren, but maybe you should have recognized how competent commissioners handled this in the first place.

If/When the little 10 does start playing, then I'm sure the dates for the playoffs and bowl games will all be rescheduled.

 

[TerryP]

If/When the little 10 does start playing, then I'm sure the dates for the playoffs and bowl games will all be rescheduled.

Why would a network or bowl sponsor choose a date with fewer viewers?

To further emphasize just how stupid this is here's your choice.

Week Four of the B1G offers Ohio State vs Rutgers.
On the other channel you've got Clemson vs OU in a semi final.

Where are the eyeballs going to be?

 

[planomateo]

Where are the eyeballs going to be?

Week 2 of the Democrat's meltdown...

 

[BamaFan334]

Why would a network or bowl sponsor choose a date with fewer viewers?

To further emphasize just how stupid this is here's your choice.

Week Four of the B1G offers Ohio State vs Rutgers.
On the other channel you've got Clemson vs OU in a semi final.

Where are the eyeballs going to be?

All depends if Rutgers is back to chopping wood.

 

[It Takes Eleven]

They will probably demand the playoffs delay until they're through with their season.

 

[bama alum]

Why would a network or bowl sponsor choose a date with fewer viewers?

To further emphasize just how stupid this is here's your choice.

Week Four of the B1G offers Ohio State vs Rutgers.
On the other channel you've got Clemson vs OU in a semi final.

Where are the eyeballs going to be?

I don't disagree with you, but ESPN regularly gets teabagged by the little 10, and most people in that playoff committee room will probably cave to ESPN (and the likes) (whining).

 

[TerryP]

I don't disagree with you, but ESPN regularly gets teabagged by the little 10, and most people in that playoff committee room will probably cave to ESPN (and the likes) (whining).

ESPN's money isn't as tied into the B1G as it is the ACC and SEC. They share that with Fox.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

I don't disagree with you, but ESPN regularly gets teabagged by the little 10, and most people in that playoff committee room will probably cave to ESPN (and the likes) (whining).

Thats what the big10 fans say about the SEC n espn

 

[BAMANEWSBOT]

Scott Van Pelt criticizes Big Ten for possible start date

...

247sports.com

Not even a month after announcing it would not be playing football this fall, the Big Ten is looking at options to take the field in the next few months. On Friday, news began to leak that the Big Ten was looking at different possibilities that would allow them to play football earlier in the year than a spring season.

The reports stated that the Big Ten was eying starting its 2020 football season on Thanksgiving week. If that were to be the case, the league could finish its season in time to ensure a full 12-game schedule in 2021.

On his Friday night edition of SportsCenter, host Scott Van Pelt was highly critical of that thought. Van Pelt said that the Big Ten starting a season as the normal college football season was coming to a close would be, “nonsense.”

“This week, eight Nebraska players filed a lawsuit to try to overturn the Big Ten’s decision to cancel the season,” Van Pelt said. “But unfortunately, lawsuits and parents writing letters and the President (Donald Trump) tweeting aren’t gonna get us Big Ten football this fall, but maybe Thanksgiving. I can’t say this more clearly; this is nonsense.

“How the hell are you gonna not play in the fall but start in November at Thanksgiving, while the season with teams who are going to start in September is still going and it’s marching towards its playoff? Just think it through. You can’t do that. ‘No, no no, no, no, see, we’re playing for the Old Oaken Bucket and Floyd of Rosedale and Paul Bunyan’s Axe.’ Cool, have fun with a pig trophy. We’re playing for the championship trophy, you know? You can’t start the season with the other one coming down to its most important games. You would be taunting yourself.”

The Big Ten announced on August 11 that it was not going to be playing football on the normal fall schedule and would rather be looking to play in the spring. The Pac-12 followed the Big Ten’s lead, while the Big 12, ACC and SEC are all pushing forward with seasons that are scheduled to kick off in the next few weeks.

Van Pelt mentioned that if the Big Ten wanted to play this fall still, it should eye starting in late September like other conferences. However, he had some criticism for school presidents after suggesting that.

“Why not play in late September, when everyone else does, if you’re going to try to start at Thanksgiving? I don't think it would happen though, because the presidents in the Big Ten who shot down the season in the first place would have to okay it,” Van Pelt said. “Meanwhile, if they couldn’t play because they were worried about lawsuits, how did you allow all these students to come back to campus and go to school? Oh, right, right, so you can charge them the full boat for the semester. That’s a fun trick.”

 

[We All Bleed Crimson]

The B1G messed up. They thought that they would be seen as the leaders (alpha conference) by making the announcement first. The PAC12 jumped in immediately afterwards. BUT... they found out that they are not.
Hoping for a big season for the SEC, ACC, and Big12.

 

[bama alum]

ESPN's money isn't as tied into the B1G as it is the ACC and SEC. They share that with Fox.

No, I mean how many talking heads are just completely enamored with the conference.