The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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18 THE WOLVERINE AUGUST 2020 for PSC and season tickets. Season ticket holders do not need to take any action at this time." "We're not going to see 100 percent capacity anywhere in America, I don't care what the event is, sporting event or non-sporting event, anytime soon," Jansen pointed out. "Is it going to be 50 percent? Is it 20 percent? Is it 10 percent? When I walk around town, quite often I get the question, 'Are we going to have football in the fall?' Once I'm done with that, it's, 'How many people will be at the game? Will I be able to go to The Big House?'" The answer, nearing the end of July, remained unclear. QUARANTINES AND QUESTIONS Around the Big Ten and beyond, the coronavirus continued impacting operations, including shutting some down altogether. Rutgers suspended its in-person team gatherings and put its football program into quarantine July 25. That development occurred after the pro- gram experienced six positive tests for the virus, jumping its total to 10. Michigan State also went into quar- antine with its football program, fol- lowing a second staff member for new Warde Manuel and the Michigan athletic department projected a budget deficit of $26.1 mil- lion for fiscal year 2021 due to the coronavirus. PHOTO BY BRANDON BROWN The Big Ten confirmed July 9 it will be keeping things lo- cal, limiting football and the rest of its fall sports squads to a conference-only slate. The move wiped out a much-antic- ipated U-M road opener at Washington and more. The Wolverines were also slated to play Ball State and Ar- kansas State at home in September, and those games were eliminated as well. Here is what the Big Ten released initially, upon making the change: "We are facing uncertain and unprecedented times, and the health, safety and wellness of our student-athletes, coaches, game officials, and others associated with our sports programs and campuses remain our number one priority. "To that end, the Big Ten Conference announced today that if the conference is able to participate in fall sports (men's and women's cross country, field hockey, football, men's and women's soccer, and women's volleyball) based on medical advice, it will move to conference-only sched- ules in those sports. Details for these sports will be released at a later date, while decisions on sports not listed above will continue to be evaluated. By limiting competition to other Big Ten institutions, the conference will have the great- est flexibility to adjust its own operations throughout the season and make quick decisions in real-time based on the most current evolving medical advice and the fluid nature of the pandemic. "This decision was made following many thoughtful con- versations over several months between the Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors, directors of athletics, confer- ence office staff and medical experts, including the Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee. "In addition, the conference announced that summer ath- letic activities will continue to be voluntary in all sports cur- rently permitted to engage in such activities. Furthermore, Big Ten student-athletes who choose not to participate in intercollegiate athletics at any time during the summer and/or the 2020-21 academic year due to concerns about COVID-19 will continue to have their scholarship honored by their institution and will remain in good standing with their team. "While Big Ten member institutions continue to rely on the most up-to-date medical information to establish the best protocols for voluntary workouts on their campuses, in compliance with local and state regulations, the conference is working with the Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infec- tious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee to finalize conference-wide protocols. "As we continue to focus on how to play this season in a safe and responsible way, based on the best advice of medi- cal experts, we are also prepared not to play in order to en- sure the health, safety and wellness of our student-athletes should the circumstances so dictate." — John Borton Big Ten-Only Schedule Announced By The Conference