RUMOR: B1G Looking at Football Bubble Locations (for spring)
Hopefully this doesn't get deleted and come true 30 minutes later like the last one.
Anyway, the B1G is looking bubble situations for Football in the spring. That way they can start earlier (and avoid the NFL draft) and they're not worried about weather and field conditions.
Will it happen? I don't believe anything anymore.
But preliminary discussions have been had with Lucas Oil. Just "would this even be possible?" type discussions.
Other locations could include Ford Field, U.S. Bank and possibly Miller Park (Brewers) and The Dome at America's Center. Not many domes on the east coast and the Carrier Dome is obviously "messy" - especially not knowing ACC football and they'll have basketball. Sucks for Maryland and Rutgers (and PSU).
The idea is every team would have a home neutral stadium. Michigan State @ Michigan at Ford Field, Michigan @ OSU at Lucas Oil. Similar to the NBA, home locker room, branding, etc.
Thought is, get them to the home site Thursday night, most classes will be remote anyway, independent testing on Thursday night, walkthroughs and another rapid test Friday night to be cleared for Saturday.
Pie in the sky, but something to talk about on a random Tuesday.
For what it's worth, I just looked at a calendar and you can get a 10 game season with 2 bye weeks AND a week off before the championship game and still be able to do CFP and 2 weekends of bowls.
If they are going to try this, announce it soon and put all your time into planning and pulling it off. Don't wait until Thanksgiving when your back is against the wall to make this call. Do it now and figure out a schedule, eligibility, all of the hard stuff.
If this happened, is this even something you all would want to see? Mid-Jan to Mid-April.
August 18th, 2020 at 8:14 PM ^
Would I love to see it? Yes. Is it going to happen? No.
August 18th, 2020 at 11:16 PM ^
I agree. That would in effect makes them professional players if they go with the bubble route
August 19th, 2020 at 8:57 AM ^
I mean, OSU players are already professional players. They just don't have to pay taxes on their income.
"Why should we have to go to class if we came here to play FOOTBALL, we ain't come to play SCHOOL, classes are POINTLESS" - Cardale Jones
August 19th, 2020 at 10:37 AM ^
cuz only the bad guys cheat, right?
August 18th, 2020 at 8:15 PM ^
I thought Sir Yacht said the season starts in Early October.
August 18th, 2020 at 11:18 PM ^
I would put more trust in the words of Sir Mix-A-Lot.
August 19th, 2020 at 9:57 AM ^
Well duh! Straight after telling you he likes big butts, he specifically tells you that he cannot lie.
August 18th, 2020 at 8:23 PM ^
No source? How are these bubbles? Late in the week they go to Ford Field..OK... That's really not how the bubbles work. People are supposed to stay in the bubble for the most part.
Indoor stadiums for weather concerns sure. Except just yesterday I checked the average temps in Ann Arbor in March and November and they're essentially the same. But good for January or February.
August 18th, 2020 at 9:37 PM ^
With rapid testing...yes, it's reasonable to think you can come and go.
Now could a team or large portion of a team be ruled out? Sure. But that's the same as the guys coming to campus with COVID.
And if you're trying to beat the Draft, how do you start a season in March?
I don't see what your point is there. So what if March and November weather is similar? By that time you've got 6 games in. April weather is like October, I don't see the point. Do you want them to transition back to campuses in March or something?
August 18th, 2020 at 10:59 PM ^
With rapid testing, why do you need to go to a neutral site at all?
Teams already put up their players in a hotel the night before a game. Is a hotel in Detroit less likely to contain COVID than a hotel in Ann Arbor?
August 18th, 2020 at 11:20 PM ^
Because the Big House is not friendly in January and February.
August 19th, 2020 at 1:13 AM ^
"Do you want them to transition back to campuses in March or something?"
Yes. Detroit isn't far, but don't you think players would prefer less travel and less disruption to their schedules and be able to sleep in their dorms or local hotel or whatever they usually do for home games? Doubly so for State.
August 18th, 2020 at 8:24 PM ^
Too bad they weren't looking at this kind of plan over the summer.
August 19th, 2020 at 8:52 AM ^
Nya ah ah aahh! Snidely Whiplash!
August 19th, 2020 at 8:54 AM ^
Nya ah ah aahh! Snidely Whiplash!
Oops - OG double post!!
August 18th, 2020 at 8:30 PM ^
Those aren’t bubbles. That’s just playing games at neutral sites because reasons.
August 18th, 2020 at 9:41 PM ^
With rapid testing...they are kind of bubbles.
You're isolating guys and making them test negative twice before they can play.
Now does it mean guys can't get COVID? No, because Sunday-Wednesday. So I get what you're saying.
But that's not really a B1G problem, that's a University problem. When you arrive on Thursday, get your rapid test, Friday get your rapid test and now that you're under the B1G jurisdiction (per se)...you're COVID free or back home.
Also the weather piece is important, you can't play home games in the B1G in mid-January. So bubble or not...you need to be indoors.
August 18th, 2020 at 11:05 PM ^
If this actually happens, I think every team would be in more of a bubble than we'd expect.
Can you see any coach in the conference saying 'Eff it, Sun through Wed you guys do what you want, but come Thu through Sat you're in a bubble'?
No way- too much $$$ would be on the line- if they do this, I think every player/coach/staffer will be online only and kept away from anyone outside each program for the duration of the season. Still not a strict bubble, but not a free-for-all either.
August 19th, 2020 at 2:45 AM ^
A player who hypothetically gets Covid on Tues or Weds would not test positive on Thurs or Fri. This isn't a bubble.
August 18th, 2020 at 10:11 PM ^
Nose carrot indeed
August 18th, 2020 at 8:34 PM ^
There's no way it will happen they're just trying to placate people with a "Well we tried." Lets just accept it and move on.
Fuck 2020 and likely 2021 too.
August 18th, 2020 at 10:25 PM ^
So nobody should come up with a plan for the next 8 months because "fuck 2020"? If it doesn't work it doesn't work but have plan in case in case it can. College football is a business, we mostly agree on that right? There are a ton of other issues there that we can argue about at another time but I dont want to see anyone throw in the towel because something might not work. We have to improve in the interim but 4 months should be achievable to get back to a bit of normal. Most companies are remote through the new year, after that should at least be plausible even if it doesn't happen.
August 19th, 2020 at 8:46 AM ^
The virus will still be there in the Spring(Even if coverage of it will be modified)
The concern about making players play two full seasons of tackle football in the space of a calendar year will still be there in the Spring
The deconfliction with the NFL draft and the adverse impact on rosters will still be there in the Spring.
The fact that this is a plan for a set of neutral site games and not a bubble and thus will add nothing to risk mitigation that is not already being done will still be there in the Spring.
This is a move to try to placate a disappointed fanbase and NOTHING more. Sorry to break it to you, but any plans right now are PR stunts.
I repeat, Fuck 2020.
August 19th, 2020 at 2:52 PM ^
Other countries have been able to manage the virus in a 4 month span to where sports can happen. Not saying we will do what is necessary but it very clearly can happen.
January, February, part of March gives 4 months off with the elimination of spring practices. 4 months off is plenty of downtime to start fall season. Football is tough on the body not so tough that it requires more than 4 months of off season.
Push the draft back a month. The NFL will agree to that. 1st-4th round picks probably won't play but many wouldn't play if there were a fall season. Seems like a silly point. If a season can happen and 4-5 guys from Michigan want to sit out because of the draft we shouldn't play? That's an odd perspective. We should probably cancel every basketball season when a guy enters the draft early.
I think neutral site games are more for the college communities. U of M vs OSU will draw many, many people to the city whether they are allowed into the stadium or not. Neutral sites will lessen impact to smaller college towns. No they aren't real bubbles. This is an issue but testing advances could make it manageable. Again they have 4 months to make sure it works.
This is a move to have a plan about something that is valued at billions of dollars. I don't think any attempt at a plan is a PR stunt but rather a necessary course of action. There may be a 1% of it being even possible but they still need to have a plan because that is how life works. I don't know about you but I've spent a ton of hours at work in the past 4 months planning for things I know are likely to be cancelled. I'd rather waste the time then miss an opportunity.
August 19th, 2020 at 11:30 PM ^
Spring won’t work, they cancelled the season under the guise of player safety, they’re not going to play 2 season in a year for multiple reasons.
The product would be severely watered down. They’d have draftable players sitting as well as under classmen not wanting to waste a year of eligibility on an exhibition season. Many wouldn’t want to risk injury that would effect their availability for the fall 21’ when an actual season would resume. A minor injury could linger for multiple months limiting prep for the fall or even keep kids out for a period of time. ACL Tear in a normal season would still have the player back the following year, if that happens in the spring they’re not making it back for any of the fall 21’ season
The NFL won’t change the draft because they’d have zero reason to do so. The timing of the draft fits into the NFLs league year which was collectively bargained with the players union so changing it isn’t as easy as you make it seem.
The recovery period is not nearly long enough for the players. They’d have no offseason. When the season would be finishing they’d immediately transition into pre season S&C programs with “voluntary workouts”. There’d be no down time. Again the cancellation was do to “player safety”, no way they’d ignore the player safety risk of 2 season in a calendar year.
August 18th, 2020 at 8:34 PM ^
That’s not a bubble.
August 18th, 2020 at 8:35 PM ^
ding ding ding
August 18th, 2020 at 9:42 PM ^
Agreed. But responded above.
August 18th, 2020 at 8:34 PM ^
Oh, I would absolutely love to see this or at least some version of it. The logistics of football make this more of a lift than the NBA (which cost $150M, most of which was housing and etc.). I would plan for 10 games but have a contingency plan for five or six. So is the idea to play a bunch of games stacked, at the same location (e.g., three a day)?
August 18th, 2020 at 9:47 PM ^
Yes, 2/day at each site if you can get 4 sites.
14 teams > 7 games > 3.5 stadiums for 2 games/day.
More Stadiums, like say Miller Park for Wisconsin and Northwestern, helps bring that down even more. Then you can put Wisconsin on the road when Northwestern is home and vice versa.
Even in this fantasy world, no clue what you do with the east coast teams.
Maybe start them all on the road and backload them with home games at an outdoor stadium like RFK? I literally just made that up.
August 18th, 2020 at 10:27 PM ^
Maybe they retrofit a basketball stadium for the east coast? If fans are forbidden you could do it, not everywhere, but ...
August 18th, 2020 at 8:35 PM ^
If I could change the world, I'd make everyday Shea Patterson Appreciation Day AND that everyone gets their own pony.
August 18th, 2020 at 8:39 PM ^
I don't think there are close to 14 indoor stadiums in the midwest. Might as well play at each team's home stadium. If Green Bay can play home games in January, Michigan can too.
August 18th, 2020 at 9:54 PM ^
That's not the point...teams would share sites as home facilities.
You need 4 stadiums to have 2 teams per.
So theoretically Ford Field would be the home field for Michigan and MSU.
You'll have doubleheaders, or sometimes when Michigan was home, MSU could be on the road.
Off the top of my head.
- Michigan and MSU at Ford Field
- OSU, IU and Purdue at Lucas Oil
- WIS and NW at Miller Park
- MINN and NEB at US Bank
- Illinois and Iowa at The Dome (St. Louis)
- PSU, Rutgers and Maryland at ?????
Those 3 east coast teams are your biggest problem. That's why I said maybe you just backload their home games so they can play outdoors at RFK or something.
Or since they're flying anyway...just assign them somewhere.
August 18th, 2020 at 10:12 PM ^
I'm pretty sure the TWA Done has been condemned.
August 18th, 2020 at 10:38 PM ^
PSU Rugger and Maryland @
Carrier Dome?
The Barn in Idaho?
August 18th, 2020 at 11:27 PM ^
Being there won't be fans to shuttle in and out, you could squeeze 2 to 3 games in at one location every Saturday. Then they would not need as many stadiums.
On the other hand, this the season will never happen but my mind has not come to grips on that yet.
August 18th, 2020 at 8:39 PM ^
The big ten basketball bubble and NCAA tournament bubble is more likely.
August 18th, 2020 at 8:54 PM ^
Yes please. Football is toast, let’s focus on making basketball happen.
August 18th, 2020 at 9:57 PM ^
I've actually heard this is happening. I don't know about regular seasons, but they're working in plans for conference and NCAA tournaments.
August 18th, 2020 at 8:41 PM ^
Kids 18-22 stay in a bubble for 10 weeks and play once a week? Not happening!
August 18th, 2020 at 9:58 PM ^
It's not really a bubble...they'd only be there Thursday-Saturday after the game.
But they'd be tested twice and everyone in the same secure protocol leading up to the game on Saturday.
August 18th, 2020 at 10:40 PM ^
That sounds good but I’m keeping my expectations low, I think a vaccine with a high percentage of effectiveness is the answer for this virus.
August 18th, 2020 at 8:43 PM ^
I like the basic idea , but this is far from being a bubble. Get the kids to the indoor site early, get them tested and hopefully retested using rapid tests, and do their best to get the season started as safely as possible.
I think it's a better idea than what the SEC, ACC, and B12 are attempting this fall. A one-game fall season isn't a season.
August 18th, 2020 at 10:32 PM ^
If fans aren't an issue why not use practice facilities in the East?
August 19th, 2020 at 7:35 AM ^
My only thought could be for Television purposes. Maybe the production in a practice facility wouldn’t be the same as an NFL stadium. Also, where would the opposing locker room be? Most practice facilities don’t have visitor locker rooms attached to it.
August 18th, 2020 at 8:46 PM ^
I only believe shit that boaty mcboatface tweets out