Big Ten Commissioner’s Open Letter: Fall Postponement Decision Is Final

Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren released a letter Wednesday confirming decision by the Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors "will not be revisited."

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The Big Ten commissioner released an open letter addressing the reasons for the decision to postpone fall sports but made it clear the decision is final.

Kevin Warren released the letter Wednesday saying he understood the public outcry to the decision by the Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors but was clear to say the cancelation of the fall sports calendar "will not be revisited."

Warren's letter, which highlighted several of the medical and science decisions that led to the Big Ten Conference fall sports postponement due to the coronavirus pandemic, confirmed despite reports to the contrary and multiple versions of double talk by decision makers a vote by the Big Ten’s COP/C did take place and "was overwhelmingly in support of postponing fall sports”.

An Open Letter to the Big Ten Communityhttps://t.co/rccZCH1Sj3

— Big Ten Conference (@bigten) August 19, 2020

The decision caused plenty of negative reaction within the conference from athletes, coaches and parents, something Warren acknowledged in the letter. A group of parents representing families of University of Illinois have written a letter to university leadership and the commissioner of the Big Ten Conference requesting answers on why the fall 2020 sports season was canceled.

“We understand the disappointment and questions surrounding the timing of our decision to postpone fall sports, especially in light of releasing a football schedule only six days prior to that decision," Warren said in the letter. "From the beginning, we consistently communicated our commitment to cautiously proceed one day at a time with the health, safety and wellness of our student-athletes at the center of our decision-making process. That is why we took simultaneous paths in releasing the football schedule, while also diligently monitoring the spread of the virus, testing, and medical concerns as student-athletes were transitioning to full-contact practice."

The first point in Warren’s letter points out the current medical uncertainties that exist by playing full-contact sports during a global pandemic in which the United States have recorded more than 5.5 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 170,000 deaths.

Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren talks with the media about the cancellation of the 2020 Mens Big Ten Tournament in March :: Thomas J. Russo/USA TODAY Sports

“Many of our medical staffs did not think the interventions we had planned would be adequate to decrease the potential spread even with very regular testing,” the letter reads.

The letter also stressed medical personnel being concerned the return of the student body would cause more of a problem in mitigating the spread of the virus. The University of North Carolina was forced to convert to an online-only class schedule and Tar Heels head football Mack Brown told reporters Tuesday he felt this development would help create a medical bubble around his football players as they attempt to play an Atlantic Coast Conference schedule this fall. Warren’s letter also addressed uncertainties surrounding long-term effects from the virus, including cardiomyopathy. Finally the Big Ten commissioner also cited concerns about contact tracing and the idea of socially distancing being impossible for full-contact sports saying a positive case after teams began full-contact practices and games would result in “frequent and significant disruptions” due to contact tracing and quarantining.

Warren once again confirmed the league is actively searching for a comprehensive plan that would allow the conference to have fall sports, including and especially football, in the spring semester and possibly during the winter months.

ICYMI: B1G officials are working on a plan for football that could have a January start date, with game played indoors. #Badgers parents were briefed last night. Yes, I understand nothing is guaranteed during a pandemic. https://t.co/U67HG2Gx5D

— Jeff Potrykus (@jaypo1961) August 19, 2020

“We will explore many factors including the number of football games that can reasonably be played from a health perspective in a full calendar year while maintaining a premier competitive experience for our student-athletes culminating in a Big Ten Championship,” Warren’s letter reads. “The Big Ten Conference will continue to collect feedback from student-athletes, families, and other constituents and remains in active discussions with its television partners regarding all future plans.”