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14 SPORT Trump’s News
s a m e t i m e w e h a v e
scrimmages against each
other all the time and we're
out there playing live and
nobody's in the stands and
we're out there having fun.”
Playing without fans would
mean a massive financial hit
to many schools since gate
revenue for football games is
lucrative.
According to Daniel
Roberts of Yahoo Finance,
40 percent of national
champion LSU's football
revenue came at the gate
last season, meaning it was
the program's biggest
CFB Players' Opinions have taken place virtually moneymaker. A media
since March because of the
on Returning Amid COVID-19 pandemic, but executive source told
Roberts that it would be an
teams are starting to return
COVID-19 Pandemic to their campuses for "economic disaster" even if
stadiums can be half full.
Outlined in Poll voluntary workouts even
though students still aren't As of now, the NCAA is
MIKE CHIARI | bleacherreport.com allowed to be there. operating under the idea that
it will be able to start the
The players were also
season as scheduled,
In an anonymous poll playing if we can get some asked about their comfort
although preparation has
conducted by ESPN in May, kind of professional advising level regarding games
b e e n i m p a c t e d . O n
most college football players that it's safe, and that there's taking place in empty
Thursday, it announced a
asked were in favor of a way we can do this and stadiums, which is a
proposed preseason model
starting the 2020 season on keep everybody as safe as possibility if the season
that will be voted upon by the
time. possible. Getting that type of starts on time.
Division I Council on
professional advising and
The poll included 73 FBS Fifty-nine were in favor of Wednesday.
the green light from the
players, and 64 of them said playing in empty stadiums,
people who really know Under the proposal,
they were comfortable 13 were against it and one
what they're talking about, I players would be tasked with
practicing and playing said it "depends." One of the
think that would mean participating in a certain
games without a vaccine in respondents said: "I believe
everything.” amount of weight training,
place for the coronavirus. that no fans should be a last
conditioning and film review
Only eight said they wouldn't Another player said: "I resort. It is such a big part of
during a 14-day period in
be comfortable and one said would be comfortable as the game and it also brings in
July and August before the
they were somewhat long as there's consistent a ton of revenue. But if it
official start of preseason
comfortable. testing for the players, came down to no football or
practice in early August.
referees, coaches the day
One player offered the no fans, then I would rather
prior to the game or as long play the season with no The scheduled start of the
following take on what could
as the people participating fans.” season is about two-and-a-
help make for the safest
on the field have been tested half months away, which
environment possible given A second player added:
and are coronavirus-free.” means the pressure is on to
the conditions: "The first time will probably
get the players ready to
All team-related activities be a little weird, but at the
"I would be comfortable
compete.
