Big Ten presidents, not President Trump, will decide if football season happens
President Trump used his campaign rally in New Hampshire last Friday to advocate for the Big Ten football season to start and then talked with Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren on Tuesday, but the decision is not up to him if they return to play.
Many people are disappointed they won’t get to watch Big Ten football this fall after university presidents voted 11-3 in favor of postponing the season due to concerns about the coronavirus, testing for the virus and the uncertain long-term effects of those affected by the virus, specifically myocarditis.
Besides the players, coaches, fans and parents of players who protested the decision at the Big Ten headquarters in Rosemont, IL last month, President Donald Trump is among those unhappy with the decision.
On Friday, Trump urged the conference to open up and said the athletes are young and healthy and the virus won’t affect them. Meanwhile, he arranged for a conversation with Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren hoping to get the season started, even having the White House offering to help with testing protocols.
It’s important to President Trump to appear like he’s advocating for the Big Ten, as opposed to the Pac-12, which he hasn’t spoken with, because of swing states in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania.
No matter how much the president holds when it comes to certain decisions, he holds no power when it comes to getting the Big Ten to play football this fall.
The Big Ten presidents determine whether there will be football. The conference had hoped to play in the spring or winter, but now they are attempting to see if a Thanksgiving start would be feasible.
For the Big Ten to play sooner than that, six Big Ten presidents would need to reverse course and change their minds and change their vote for the conference to meet the threshold needed according to Big Ten bylaws.
In talking to #B1G sources since Trump tweet, the key next step remains outlining the medical benchmarks that must be met to play and how soon they can be reached so. Six presidents who voted to postpone on Aug. 11 must change their votes to exceed the 60% requirement (bylaws).
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) September 1, 2020
Is it possible some of the Big Ten presidents could be influenced enough to change their mind? Certainly. Is it possible six of the Big Ten presidents would change their minds due to political pressure from President Trump? That is something I am skeptical of.
Big Ten presidents made their decision based on the science and medical information available to them at the time of the vote on Aug. 11. Many of these Big Ten presidents have backgrounds in medicine and science and those decision-makers don’t often bow to political pressure. They rely on the date to inform them.
Of course, not everyone is looking at the same date and science, which is why the SEC, ACC, Big 12, AAC, Sun Belt and Conference USA are playing while the Big Ten, Pac-12, MAC, Mountain West, Division II, Division III and much of the FCS is not playing.
It’s a tough time for Big Ten football fans who will have to wait a few months longer than usual to watch their favorite players and team, but Trump tweets hold no weight in this arena.
Next. The Big Ten football season that never was. dark
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