To Play or Not to Play? College Football during the Pandemic

Of the major college football conferences, the Pac-12 Conference is the only one that has decided to suspend their football season. However, as of now major conferences such as the Big 12, Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten, and Southeastern Conference are planning to have their seasons. 

While I recognize that college football is a staple of American culture and a multimillion dollar industry, it should not be happening in the midst of the pandemic. 

While it makes sense for professional football to be happening because the game is their livelihood, college football players are being put at risk for no justified reason. Although schools, coaches, television networks, and conferences all make significant profits from college football, the players are paid nothing. In many cases, the health of the players is overlooked because fans want their entertainment.  

Students at these colleges who are not athletes are being sent home for their own safety due to the challenges associated with maintaining social distancing. It is completely unreasonable to have the football team practice and play where maintaining a safe distance is impossible. There are usually over 50 people on a team, plus coaches and referees. With so many people huddled together in a small, confined locker room, they cannot keep their distance.  Teams also have to travel a lot for games, so they would be put at further risk at airports and flying on airplanes so frequently. 

Even some of the professionals are weighing in and expressing their concern. Former University of Washington and Dallas Cowboys football player Eric Bjornson says, “I think the only way that makes sense to play is if they had rigorous, really thorough testing almost on a daily basis, but if it were up to me, I don’t think they should play at all.”

Moreover, with so many people on each team, it would be extremely difficult to test everyone regularly, and there’s no way to keep all the players in a bubble like the NBA and WNBA did in Florida. 

Somebody is bound to contract the virus, and because of such close contact to all their teammates, transmit it to everyone. So who really benefits from one season of football?