Will We Have Football in the Fall?

[DBAHawkFan]

Also, I have a friend who told me that he personally thinks we will have to just bite the bullet for all sports until the fall of 2021.

I think this is the case for college sports. The pros, they can probably work something out as they have more resources and it’s their job.

There is no way a vaccine is available before mid next year, and that’s bucking everything we know about the vaccine process (they normally take 10-15 years if one is actually successful). There would need to be mass production of the vaccine right at this moment to even have a chance of being out by end of the year. Assuming it is safe

The best course is a therapy/antiviral. Something that can be taken which lessens the effects of the virus. Much like those guys who get hooked up to IVs all week when they come down with the flu. Of course covid19 is 10x deadlier....but if the treatment is very good that may lower the risk of hospitalization (and death).

One thing to remember with this virus too is that those who have gotten it with symptoms have struggled to regain their lung strength and any form of cardio. We think 14 days and you’re back on your feet and that’s not always the case, this virus can wreck your lungs.

There’s issue if say MN has a bad outbreak a week or two before they play Iowa, and their state has to shutdown for a month. That includes colleges, practices, etc. Do you think it would be wise for people in MN to travel to Iowa for the game ? Even the players ? Fair that they can’t practice ?

Now of course the virus has mutated many times already and it’s possible by end of summer the mutated strains are less harmful. They could also become more deadly too.

there’s just so much unknown at this point. With States opening things back up this month i think June will be very telling with how rest of year goes.

 

[Motigerhawk]

When the 2nd wave hits, people are going to realize we need to wait for a vaccine. Thats not happening for 6 months to a year.

There is no way Universities will allow a couple hundred people get together and run into each other for 3 hours. They may not have anyone on campus again.

I would be surprised if you see students on campus in the Fall.

 

[HuckFinn]

I will be 75 this fall. I will have some big decisions to make for my season football and basketball tickets usage if the sports allow fan participation. I am not big on speculation. The existing science will be the go to for my decisions when the time comes.

 

[hawkdrummer1]

When the 2nd wave hits, people are going to realize we need to wait for a vaccine. Thats not happening for 6 months to a year.

There is no way Universities will allow a couple hundred people get together and run into each other for 3 hours. They may not have anyone on campus again.

I would be surprised if you see students on campus in the Fall.

If we lock down the country for another 6 months the virus will be the least of our worries. We'll be looking at another great depression with people out of work, homeless in the streets and people struggling to feed themselves. Australia is already seeing a spike in suicides that surpasses their Covid-19 deaths. In short: we're all f***ed if we follow a perpetual "lock down" strategy. The fallout from that will dwarf the direct effects of the virus.

We still don't have a vaccine for H1N1 or a variety of other viruses...years later. Yet, somehow we survived. This disease is not killing young and/or healthy people in droves. It largely strikes the elderly, sick and compromised...like its predecessors. Intelligent steps to protect those groups is the logical (and time tested) way to proceed.

 

[uihawk82]

Good topic.

My thoughts are contingent on things staying status quo: No widespread treatment available and wide spread testing hasn't proven that we've all already had it. If one of those things do happen my thought process changes quite a bit.


I think the conference season will be played starting on time. Iowa plays UNI and ISU as well so very possible those goes are played and with limited number of fans in attendance initially.

Then as the season goes I think it will be basically a war of attrition. Teams that don't have a player or staff member test positive will continue to play. As players and coaches begin to test positive those team will forfeit games for a 2-4 week period to see if the infection has spread to the rest of the team before getting back out and playing games.

Well I hope in a few months by mid-July with the money involved with football the athletic departments can buy enough of the quick result diagnostic tests to test the 200 or so people around the program at least once a day. And wait for it, that is if there are tests available. But seriously they need to be able to test them very often.

 

[uihawk82]

I only see about a 50% chance of college football this fall. The first hurdle is the schools have to be open or else the players will not be enrolled and I would think logically not considered a student at the time and they have to be a student to be on scholarship. As long as quite a few states have some pretty rapidly increasing daily case rates, even now, there is a good chance too many infections will be possible to have 28000 or so students in Iowa City and Ames, etc. And you have to have a bunch of other teams from other states to play a bunch of football games.

I would love to see the infection rates go down, we all would and a return to normal. We have missed one grand child's birthday, the first one missed along with being around for the births. We haven't seen the Seattle area grand kids since Sept of last year and just miss getting and giving some hugs. And there are other family and friends to see again. And I know all of you have your favorite people to see again also.

 

[dahlhawk]

If we do have football and fans are allowed, it will be interesting to see what kind of attendance we have. A lot of people who go to games are getting long in the tooth, I would imagine some of them would choose to stay home this year. Also for some people who lost or had reduced income this year, money for tickets could be an issue.

My guess is for lesser games, 50k or less might be all that show up, maybe 60k for the more attractive games.

It's funny but like the basketball snowstorms last year a smaller number of people showed up but they were louder and more energetic than the usual fan. I think the same will be in football. Those tickets will be snapped up by fans who don't normally get a shot at tickets. Smaller crowd but more intense. Look if thousands of people can shop at Menards, Hy-Vee, and Wallymart for plants, lumber, and other non-essential items they can attend a football game. Require masks and temp. scanning at the gate and let people decide for themselves.

 

[Northside Hawk]

It's funny but like the basketball snowstorms last year a smaller number of people showed up but they were louder and more energetic than the usual fan. I think the same will be in football. Those tickets will be snapped up by fans who don't normally get a shot at tickets. Smaller crowd but more intense. Look if thousands of people can shop at Menards, Hy-Vee, and Wallymart for plants, lumber, and other non-essential items they can attend a football game. Require masks and temp. scanning at the gate and let people decide for themselves.

Give people the choice. Don't make it for them. So right and so true.

If people want to stay home and not risk it they can continue to do so. And like you said maybe the people who do show up will be less jaded and more enthusiastic.

 

[EstronHawkKing]

I will be 75 this fall. I will have some big decisions to make for my season football and basketball tickets usage if the sports allow fan participation. I am not big on speculation. The existing science will be the go to for my decisions when the time comes.

being you are 75 and if there is no vaccine for the virus, I would strongly suggest you stay at home and watch Hawkeye sports on tv (if there will be any this coming year) and wait for the vaccine before you attend games again

 

[RobHowe]

We had one person so far mention the president in this thread and I deleted the post.

Like I explained on the Covid thread on the BB board that will be shutting down Monday, I’m ok if we keep the discussion here on the virus and how it might impact Hawkeye sports. If the thread becomes at all political, it will be gone.

 

[Motigerhawk]

As a heads up and another reason I think the season will not happen. I just got an email from the state PE organization I am a member. There are rumors that PE and Band will be cancelled in schools next year. This is due to social distancing and gathering of large groups. Unless something drastic happens in the next few months, I seriously doubt Universities will allow practice let alone games.

Oh and now Im stressed because that means Im out of a job.

 

[Grady]

Assuming no miracle vaccine emerges in the next 6 months, I don't think it makes sense to try to pull off a fall season, due to all the possible scenarios mentioned in this thread. All major conferences would need to be on the same page, and as we've seen the C-19 conditions vary dramatically across the country, often ebbing and flowing within the same region. As a long-time football season ticket holder with an underlying health condition, I'd be reluctant to attend any games this fall, but there's a possibility a vaccine will be available by February/March of next year and I'd be chomping at the bit to attend then. Athletic departments have to gain their revenue in this fiscal year, and by next spring you eliminate a lot of the uncertainty you'd have going into this fall.

 

[Grady]

As a heads up and another reason I think the season will not happen. I just got an email from the state PE organization I am a member. There are rumors that PE and Band will be cancelled in schools next year. This is due to social distancing and gathering of large groups. Unless something drastic happens in the next few months, I seriously doubt Universities will allow practice let alone games.

Oh and now Im stressed because that means Im out of a job.

Sorry to hear that.

 

[MoseSchrute]

I think this is the case for college sports. The pros, they can probably work something out as they have more resources and it’s their job.

There is no way a vaccine is available before mid next year, and that’s bucking everything we know about the vaccine process (they normally take 10-15 years if one is actually successful). There would need to be mass production of the vaccine right at this moment to even have a chance of being out by end of the year. Assuming it is safe

The best course is a therapy/antiviral. Something that can be taken which lessens the effects of the virus. Much like those guys who get hooked up to IVs all week when they come down with the flu. Of course covid19 is 10x deadlier....but if the treatment is very good that may lower the risk of hospitalization (and death).

One thing to remember with this virus too is that those who have gotten it with symptoms have struggled to regain their lung strength and any form of cardio. We think 14 days and you’re back on your feet and that’s not always the case, this virus can wreck your lungs.

There’s issue if say MN has a bad outbreak a week or two before they play Iowa, and their state has to shutdown for a month. That includes colleges, practices, etc. Do you think it would be wise for people in MN to travel to Iowa for the game ? Even the players ? Fair that they can’t practice ?

Now of course the virus has mutated many times already and it’s possible by end of summer the mutated strains are less harmful. They could also become more deadly too.

there’s just so much unknown at this point. With States opening things back up this month i think June will be very telling with how rest of year goes.

Totally agree. An anti-viral agent will probably be the best hope. There has never been an effective vaccine for any type of coronavirus ever, so I don't know why people are thinking there will be one in less than a year, if at all.

 

[4thngoal]

I'm going with games played with no fans.
We kind of need the games for the sake of normalcy. We can still watch on TV.
I can't see "with some fans" because that is going to be exploited by some and then you have an unfair cry out. Not to mention as was said, the goal isn't to start the season, it's to have and complete the season and if you start having teams with higher numbers of players getting sick then what?
So I think the logical thing to do is try to limit player coach exposure if you want to complete the season.

 

[RobHowe]

Jamie Pollard talked with the DMR the other day and said ISU might allow fans in suites but not the stands.

Pollard and his staff have begun to work on plans for how football could have fans in attendance while still following social distancing, starting with the possibility of allowing fans in suites.

“You can slowly start to talk your way through that and say, I think we could,” Pollard said. “They’re isolated in their suite. There are ways to do food — pregame, packaged, no servers. Can’t leave your suite other than to go to the bathroom. People in the suites are pretty much people that you probably are already associated with anyways.

“By doing that you save roughly $3 million you don’t have to give back.”

LINK

 

[DBAHawkFan]

Totally agree. An anti-viral agent will probably be the best hope. There has never been an effective vaccine for any type of coronavirus ever, so I don't know why people are thinking there will be one in less than a year, if at all.

Yep. And to produce enough vials, needles, and who knows how much of the actual medicine to get to the population......that’ll take at least six months on its own. Healthcare workers and others would get it first.

now if China gets the vaccine first we’ll be waiting for a long time to get it.....

and we need to stop comparing this to the flu. It’s a coronavirus. We have no immunity.

If you get this virus, 80% chance you come out the other side fine. That other 20% may not result in death (it could) but it can totally wreck your lungs, kidneys, etc for life.
We have to find a way to manage both the health of each other, and keep business running.

i won’t go much further than saying what we have seen so far isn’t going to work

 

[4thngoal]

The flu shot is only 45% effective and they have spent billions and many years trying to make it.
I don't have very high hopes in a vaccine.
As someone else said a state of lock down for an extended time isn't going to work either.
That leaves two options. Play with no fans and everyone everywhere now lives with social distancing as the new normal. For pretty much ever and not just a month or two.
Or option two, open everything and let people decide for themselves, given their particular personal circumstances and beliefs.
My gals mom is about 80 years old and absolutely does not care about any of this. Is she at higher risk? Sure, but she doesn't care. She's like well I have lived a long life and I am not going to stop now because of this.
You can't really argue with her logic either.
I mean if I am 80 and going to possibly catch something and possibly die, I would rather catch it doing something I like doing than to catch it at a doctors office or some crap.

 

[peerok]

The flu shot is only 45% effective and they have spent billions and many years trying to make it.
I don't have very high hopes in a vaccine.
As someone else said a state of lock down for an extended time isn't going to work either.
That leaves two options. Play with no fans and everyone everywhere now lives with social distancing as the new normal. For pretty much ever and not just a month or two.
Or option two, open everything and let people decide for themselves, given their particular personal circumstances and beliefs.
My gals mom is about 80 years old and absolutely does not care about any of this. Is she at higher risk? Sure, but she doesn't care. She's like well I have lived a long life and I am not going to stop now because of this.
You can't really argue with her logic either.
I mean if I am 80 and going to possibly catch something and possibly die, I would rather catch it doing something I like doing than to catch it at a doctors office or some crap.

I agree with this. I have an 87 year old uncle in a nursing home. His mind is still good, but his body is starting to fail. I called him the other day. He doesn't care either if he gets the coronavirus. All he wants is to see his kids and grandkids one more time before he dies, but obviously with the no visitation policy for nursing homes, theres a good chance that won't happen. Should we be protecting our elderly or letting them enjoy what little time they have left, coronavirus or not?

 

[Xerxes]

I wouldn't mind spring football but not a lot of schools have heating systems underneath the playing surface. Minnesota is the only one I know of. And fields may still be frozen as hell in March. Could be very difficult to keep playing surfaces in good shape at that time of year. That would be interesting.

We all remember what it was like watching Iowa play on a frozen field at Yankee stadium.