Minnesota Sports Forum

I have to say I think this is all coming down to money. Many student athletes in both the PAC12 and BIG TEN were joining together to ask for pay for play incentives. At least not signing waivers at minimum in order to play. (They won't sue if they contract COVID for instance).

The timing is quite funny. If the athletes didn't ask for anything they would be playing, simple as that.

I'd guess this has a lot more to do with legality in terms of schools wanting to avoid getting sued over students contracting the virus etc. Nebraska already had ok'd letting students make money off their likenesses or whatever and it wasn't going to affect their bottom line. Is this all about money? Yes...but the schools are also losing a Shit ton of money not playing. Think about this though where is that money going? It doesn't just simply disappear? What happens to that money both in terms of corporate cash and the money fans won't be spending? That's kind of interesting to think about to me.

Personally I'm conflicted about whether or not they should play. The case made that the student athletes are safer playing the sport and supervised is a worthwhile consideration. What are the schools protocols though? Can they cancel all sports but football? Even with proper precautions are thousands of student athletes and staff of various sports traveling around a good idea? Are they going to keep some of the students and protocols in place in case the season starts early 2021? I've basically given up sports as a serious consideration for me for the next year or more so in some ways I don't care that much personally. I get that it effects a great deal of people and I would say that's more of something I consider about people who's livelihoods (including players) depend on it than enjoyment of fans which of course still isn't completely insignificant.