MBB: NESCAC

[ThumannsOwn]

I don't think it is concerning. They are a bunch of very high endowment schools that can afford to take the financial hit a decision like this causes. I think most schools aren't in such strong financial situations where a decision like this is feasible at this time.

By most accounts, Ivy League football is a money loser so this might not be a financial hit.

[jmcozenlaw]

I don't think it is concerning. They are a bunch of very high endowment schools that can afford to take the financial hit a decision like this causes. I think most schools aren't in such strong financial situations where a decision like this is feasible at this time.

By most accounts, Ivy League football is a money loser so this might not be a financial hit.

It might be for the perpetual bottom feeders, but not so for most of them. The A.D.'s do look at contributions to the football program, from alums, families and friends, as revenue sources derived by the football team. The University of Pennsylvania's football program took in $3.27 million ($2 million coming from two football alums who are partners in a Stamford based hedge fund) in 2018 and they were a smidge more than breaking even before that relative largess. The alums who played sports at most Ivy League schools are asked to support the athletics department as a whole OR any sport that means something to them vs. general contributions to an endowment with multi-billions. Many are listening and taking heed.

[JEFFFAN]

jmcozenlaw makes a great point.   Has anyone been following the debacle of Brown shutting down sports?  I call it debacle because the school has an email, phone call and letter trail of having made the decision a while back but kept coaches and student-athletes in the dark.   So they are now in a position where they have to "make right" by those coaches and student-athletes or risk a costly lawsuit.   But to jimcozenlaw's point, a few of the sports have now been funded by affluent alumni and are back in business.

[NEhoops]

This conversation is two fold - is there a enough money to fund the respective team and is it safe enough to actually have a season.

Some schools are cutting sports that might not even play this year. Doesn't make the decision any easier. Budget is one thing, but the pandemic related shut down is somewhat our of their hands.

The Ivy League shutdown doesn't look promising for the rest of DI. They were ahead of the curve in the spring when they decided to cancel their men's and women's basketball tournaments. Within 48 hours, the NBA suspended its season and all NCAA sports were halted.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

This conversation is two fold - is there a enough money to fund the respective team and is it safe enough to actually have a season.

Some schools are cutting sports that might not even play this year. Doesn't make the decision any easier. Budget is one thing, but the pandemic related shut down is somewhat our of their hands.

The Ivy League shutdown doesn't look promising for the rest of DI. They were ahead of the curve in the spring when they decided to cancel their men's and women's basketball tournaments. Within 48 hours, the NBA suspended its season and all NCAA sports were halted.

Let's make sure we have a few things accurate here...

First, IVY League football has nothing to do with the Power 5 football. Ivy League competes in the BCS, but the Power 5 have the more financially rewarding FBS, which is not controlled by the NCAA, to consider. I don't think because the Ivy League shut things down that suddenly D1 will flood in the same direction.

Secondly, then Ivy League doesn't have the same financial considerations outside of their institutions as other D1s have to consider. They are also in far better shape with endowments and the like than other institutions, so again I don't think their decisions causes the rest of D1 to suddenly say, "well if the Ivy League is shutting down, we should, too."

Yes, the Ivy League shut down winter and spring sports on March 10 and subsequently so did basically everyone else, but it wasn't because of the Ivy League and the situation now is far different than it was in March. First off, the NESCAC announced before the Ivy League the same decision (if I remember correctly), so that ball was rolling. Secondly, March was far more of a dire situation with NCAA tournament games already having their doors shut to fans first at Johns Hopkins and then at Amherst followed by second weekend games having the same decisions at almost every venue (with some modifications). The tipping point was also not the Ivy League, it was Rudy Gobert testing positive in the NBA and that news hit late in the day on March 11. The NCAA had already decided fans weren't going to be allowed into NCAA tournament games at all levels (before the Ivy League made their announcement), but Golbert's test result (and a teammate) was the tipping point. From there, everyone pulled the plug. March 12 was a floodgate throughout the NCAA as schools, conferences, and others shut things down.

This period of time is very different. There is a better understanding of the virus, protocols in place, and many other things in the "known" category of things that in March were completely unknown. There is also more time to make decisions instead of concern about the very next day as many had in March. There is also an understanding of how shutting things down in March for the rest of the spring impacted institutions, conferences, etc. that many are going to try and mitigate or keep from happening this fall ... so they will make every effort possible to help make things happen this time around. Also, some sports have already started to restart, so there are models and examples out there for institutions to look at including from Europe as they try and make decisions. March, there was nothing to model after.

I am certainly not saying nothing else will shutdown, but I am not of the mentality that suddenly things come to a crashing end because the Ivy League, which has a ton of money in reserves and less influence than others, decides enough is enough. If the SEC or BIG10 had made this decision, I might be of a different mindset. I am not sure we hit critical mass - AT THIS TIME - for things to follow what happened in March. Now, if next week or the following we realize that something has changed with the virus or with infections, especially deaths (though, long-term impact of this virus is the scariest unknown), then things might change including my thinking on the matter. But right now, while some institutions won't have sports or classes or the like, I am not sure we hit a majority or at least a number that forces the NCAA (member schools specifically) to shut everything down.

Heck, I already know of conferences making decisions that are not unanimous by any stretch of the imagination ... the NESCAC being one of them. I do not think this conference's presidents are in agreement this time around.

[jmcozenlaw]

Dave, great points above. I do wonder what happens to the teams who only have 9 football games scheduled and lose 3 of them (so far) and another 1 or 2 over the next few weeks. For example, TCNJ not playing already takes one league game away from the NJAC teams, who already had to find 3 out of conference games to get to 10. A couple are only at 9 and might lose 2 0r 3 non-conference game AND the TCNJ game. At what point does shutting it down for a year and coming back strong for 2021 outweigh playing 5 conference games in 2020?

Also, as much as I love football and hoops (my top two loves)...........if we lose the fall and winter, but have a full spring slate, it just means (NOT to minimize it) that each season, each team, will have lost one season.

I think that it is critical, THE priority, to make sure, if possible, to have a full spring slate, given what those teams already lost a few months ago.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

I'll add .. a full spring slate with NO interference or addition of fall sports. I feel as bad as anyone that fall sports are starting to be suspended, but moving fall sports to the spring would be horrific in terms of management and allocations and the like. It will actually take away from the spring sports.

[Bucket]

The Athletic is reporting that the Big 10 is cancelling all non-conference football games and will only play a conference schedule this fall.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

The Athletic is reporting that the Big 10 is cancelling all non-conference football games and will only play a conference schedule this fall.

I think if there is one option that may work the best ... especially at DIII ... this would be it.

That and the UAA idea of allowing members to play in their regions and not worry about cross-country trips for conference games.

[NEhoops]

What would Notre Dame and the other independents do?

[ronk]

What would Notre Dame and the other independents do?

ND has the 5 ACC games and, possibly, 1 with each service academy would bring them to 8 games.

[jmcozenlaw]

I'll add .. a full spring slate with NO interference or addition of fall sports. I feel as bad as anyone that fall sports are starting to be suspended, but moving fall sports to the spring would be horrific in terms of management and allocations and the like. It will actually take away from the spring sports.

Agree 100%!!

[SpringSt7]

What would Notre Dame and the other independents do?

ND has the 5 ACC games and, possibly, 1 with each service academy would bring them to 8 games.

Wouldn't Notre Dame traveling to Colorado, Maryland, and New York or vice versa defeat the point of staying in conference and limiting travel?

[ThumannsOwn]

https://www.d3hoops.com/notables/2020/06/amherst-names-new-mens-coach

New HC for Amherst.  Anyone know anything about Coach Sears?

For ephoops' research on the Sears hire - https://www.amherststudent.com/article/amherst-names-four-new-head-coaches-as-college-prepares-for-canceled-fall-sports-season

Curious to get d-mac's sheepish take on the fact that returning volleyball and squash players were part of the hiring process, but seemingly not the hoops players.

[jmcozenlaw]

https://www.d3hoops.com/notables/2020/06/amherst-names-new-mens-coach

New HC for Amherst.  Anyone know anything about Coach Sears?

For ephoops' research on the Sears hire - https://www.amherststudent.com/article/amherst-names-four-new-head-coaches-as-college-prepares-for-canceled-fall-sports-season

Curious to get d-mac's sheepish take on the fact that returning volleyball and squash players were part of the hiring process, but seemingly not the hoops players.

"Sheepish"?? Hey Dave, you've got to love the newbies, er trolls!!