Will There Be a 2020 Football Season?

Chances of a 2020 season?

  • Full 12 Game Schedule

    Votes: 20 36.4%

  • Shortened Season

    Votes: 13 23.6%

  • No Games Played

    Votes: 22 40.0%
  • Total voters
    55
  • Poll closed .
Danny Bateman said:
Kind of?

To me it seems a bit akin to going to an out-of-network healthcare provider and demanding they treat you for your regular in-market rates.

It's a ridiculous demand and the ridiculous amount of time spent hammering out contracts and legal agreements were done to prevent that very event from happening.
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Yes, but if all of those out of network provider's patients stopped coming and you showed up and said hey if we can work out a mutual deal so we get treated and you get paid something I bet that doctor is real quick to make a deal outside of  your insurance.

 
WyoHusker56 said:
Yes, but if all of those out of network provider's patients stopped coming and you showed up and said hey if we can work out a mutual deal so we get treated and you get paid something I bet that doctor is real quick to make a deal outside of  your insurance.
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It's not a perfect analogy because traffic at healthcare providers doesn't dry up during a pandemic and people have the option of cash pay, but that's not the case for Nebraska. They can't just unilaterally cut a deal with the Big XII or regional schools for a new schedule. Their broadcast rights are owned by BTN, ESPN, ABC, etc. etc.

We're trapped in a legal box unless we get the OK from those entities.

 
I think it's relatively safe to say "if" the B1G cancels fall sports we won't have football. Sadly the contract will be the ruling factor. We're contracted to the B1G and as such, they hold the cards. Yes?

 
Danny Bateman said:
It's not a perfect analogy because traffic at healthcare providers doesn't dry up during a pandemic and people have the option of cash pay, but that's not the case for Nebraska. They can't just unilaterally cut a deal with the Big XII or regional schools for a new schedule. Their broadcast rights are owned by BTN, ESPN, ABC, etc. etc.

We're trapped in a legal box unless we get the OK from those entities.
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I think all entities are going to be happier to have a piece of some $$$ than to have no $$$ at all.  That's the ace card in this deal...  The alternative to a weird situation is no situation.  In that case, weird has a chance.  

Looking at it from Big Ten perspective, do they have anything to lose if Nebraska and OSU and Michigan form some sort of "wildcat" league and just have football games?  Their premiere teams are getting some exposure and some $$$ while the Big Ten can hide safely behind the fact that they canceled the season should liability problems arise.  Effectively, they may be able to have their cake and eat it too (though it's just a piece of cake it's still better than no cake...).

 
"Iowa canceled its 11 a.m. practice and then Purdue canceled a scheduled media availability with its team. Elsewhere in college football, Oklahoma State canceled a scheduled press conference with its coach and several players. Rumors swirled and the college football season appeared to be hanging by a thread. 

...

'I have a group of players that I love—every single one of them—and I ask them to fight for us all the time, to fight on the football field all the time, and I think at some time the head coach’s responsibility is to fight for what they want too,' he said as part of an opening statement that lasted nearly 10 minutes.

...

But Frost (and presumably Day) holds the political capital to be able to make such … what frankly seemed like promises … because his players are in his corner. "

https://hailvarsity.com/s/9908/huskers-aware-of-virus-concerns-stress-comfort-and-desire-to-play

At least this should bode well for recruiting and selling the image that Frost will go to bat for you as a player when other coaches/programs shy away from leading the charge. It would have been very easy for Frost to not do the presser yesterday. He showed leadership in doing it and a bit of the bravado that I love. 

 
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307husker said:
I think all entities are going to be happier to have a piece of some $$$ than to have no $$$ at all.  That's the ace card in this deal...  The alternative to a weird situation is no situation.  In that case, weird has a chance.  

Looking at it from Big Ten perspective, do they have anything to lose if Nebraska and OSU and Michigan form some sort of "wildcat" league and just have football games?  Their premiere teams are getting some exposure and some $$$ while the Big Ten can hide safely behind the fact that they canceled the season should liability problems arise.  Effectively, they may be able to have their cake and eat it too (though it's just a piece of cake it's still better than no cake...).
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It's as much about power and control for the Big Ten as it is revenue. The conference and the associated revenue streams aren't going anywhere even if we skip a season.

I think they'd prefer to have teams following orders and operating as a bloc than making a buck with the schools that still want to play. They don't want schools going rogue and challenging the power structure. Plus it looks like hell if they cancel or postpone the season for half the teams and the other half forge ahead and do their own thing.

 
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Danny Bateman said:
It's as much about power and control for the Big Ten as it is revenue. The conference and the associated revenue streams aren't going anywhere even if we skip a season.

I think they'd rather have teams following orders and operating as a bloc than they'd like to make a buck with the schools that still want to play. They don't want schools going rogue and challenging the power structure. Plus it looks like hell if they cancel or postpone the season for half the teams and the other half forge ahead and do their own thing.
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I'm sure there are legal clauses protecting both the conference and the schools.  If they want to play, they will find a way. 

I think the Big 10, and other conferences need to pay attention right now.  While they have schools under contract, schools like Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, etc hold all the long term power.  This may be the perfect time to start the process of a major realignment where we end up with the 4 super conferences that has been discussed for years.  The Big 10 should be one of them but if they aren't representing what their members want, they will eventually sink.  

It will be an interesting next few weeks...    

 
Danny Bateman said:
It's not a perfect analogy because traffic at healthcare providers doesn't dry up during a pandemic and people have the option of cash pay, but that's not the case for Nebraska. They can't just unilaterally cut a deal with the Big XII or regional schools for a new schedule. Their broadcast rights are owned by BTN, ESPN, ABC, etc. etc.

We're trapped in a legal box unless we get the OK from those entities.
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I obviously have no idea the legalities of all this, but I'd think if the B1G cancels their football season for the year they are failing to uphold their end of a contract giving Nebraska the right to pursue their own options. Could be totally wrong, but it seems like that is what Nebraska is looking at.

 
This would be a pretty big game changer in my mind. It would cut down on limited testing and allow schools to know everyone playing is covid free and you could also quarantine a team returning from travel until they are tested again in order to avoid transmission on campus. Also meets player demand of game day testing.


 
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