Big Ten & Big East considering bubble as an option

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What would the pay scale be if this happened, kind of hard to argue amateurism under this scenario.
 

jovs said:
What would the pay scale be if this happened, kind of hard to argue amateurism under this scenario.
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I'm sure they'd have the option to opt out and keep their scholarship. It's just a glorified holiday tournament IMO. If we're lying to ourselves and calling them amateurs now (they're not), then I don't think a bubble really changes things. Especially if it's optional.
 
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mnsportsgeek said:
I'm sure they'd have the option to opt out and keep their scholarship. It's just a glorified holiday tournament IMO. If we're lying to ourselves and calling them amateurs now (they're not), then I don't think a bubble really changes things. Especially if it's optional.
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For a tournament, maybe they'll do this. There's no way they do this and try to play anything close to a full conference schedule.
 

howeda7 said:
For a tournament, maybe they'll do this. There's no way they do this and try to play anything close to a full conference schedule.
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Agreed. It’s one thing to do it for 2-4 weeks. It’s another thing to do it for half a semester.
 

I think the question becomes what are schools willing to do to salvage something close to a normal season.

if it comes down to a bubble or no season, the bubble starts looking a whole lot more attractive.

this all depends on what happens with the virus, treatments and vaccines.

if a proven vaccine becomes available, totally different situation.

But - if we are in roughly the same place virus-wise in a couple of months, then it becomes a matter of choosing the least bad option from a series of bad options. in that scenario, the bubble becomes a lot more viable.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
I think the question becomes what are schools willing to do to salvage something close to a normal season.

if it comes down to a bubble or no season, the bubble starts looking a whole lot more attractive.

this all depends on what happens with the virus, treatments and vaccines.

if a proven vaccine becomes available, totally different situation.

But - if we are in roughly the same place virus-wise in a couple of months, then it becomes a matter of choosing the least bad option from a series of bad options. in that scenario, the bubble becomes a lot more viable.
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I could see a round robin of say 6-8 games for seeding and then going directly to a B1G tournament, all occurring during winter break.
 




TruthSeeker said:
They cannot do a bubble and claim to be about amateurism and student-athletes.
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What kind of bubble are we talking about? All 14 teams in the same location for 2 months for a 20 game schedule & BTT? Ok probably no go.

What about something smaller like a 3-6 team bubble, where each school would play 4-5 games within a week. After that, they go home to rest & practice for 7-10 days then do it again with a different mix of conference foes. Doing that a few times December through early March could equate to about the same time away from campus and significantly cut down overall travel.

Ideally you could work it out and play each team once or twice. 2021 but maybe circumstances (e.g. positive Covid test) dictate certain teams don't play at all, others play even more than 2 times.
 


Each bubble would require a 2 week quarantine. So just how many bubbles are you going to be able to have? Housing, Food, Practice facilities, Study halls, computer centers, tutors, and the list goes on!

But then again, lots of empty dorm rooms on campuses!
 



Otis said:
Each bubble would require a 2 week quarantine. So just how many bubbles are you going to be able to have? Housing, Food, Practice facilities, Study halls, computer centers, tutors, and the list goes on!

But then again, lots of empty dorm rooms on campuses!
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Izzo gives credence to the "multiple bubble" plan I hatched a few days ago.

theathletic.com

Tom Izzo: ‘I know we’re going to play’ the 2020-21 college basketball season

"I don't even think it's a question," said the Michigan State coach, who believes teams could tip off as soon as December.
theathletic.com theathletic.com

No specific details, but why get bogged down that?!?! Game on!

From the article:

“I don’t know what it would be, but I would picture it as bubbles — multiple bubbles,” Izzo said. “Like, if there were nonconference games, instead of us (just playing one game in the Champions Classic), the four teams go to one city, we all get the same hotel, we’re all quarantined and tested, and instead of one game, we all play each other on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Maybe in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, we go to Atlanta and play three ACC teams or something like that. I think there could be all kinds of bubbles.”

The obvious follow-up … what about the books?

“Right, people will say, well, that doesn’t sound very academic,” Izzo said. “Well, if we were in a bubble in Indy for a week, we could probably get even better academics because everything is online anyway and we’d actually have control of what they’re doing during the day, instead of on a college campus.”
 

What are we worried about? Russia already has a vaccine. Sputnik V. We're all good.
 

Bubbles have a few things going for them and a few things going against them.

Pros:
More control over players exposure
More control over players time (they could study more)
Actual games and some money for non-revenue sports

Cons:
Quarantine time before games. (major eat into schedule)
Availability of practice facilities
Appearance of sports at all costs (this would be a myth, classes are almost 100% on-line. Locking players down would probably improve their academics.)
Costs (cleaning, testing, repeat....)

If they could make the player's classes condensed during the quarantine period enabling them to play on consecutive days with a day off now and then for two weeks or so this would make sense. I would imagine the B1G could pull it off with their $$$ from TV but lesser conferences? not so much.
 

All of this bubbles talk...

97393.jpg
 

Well, the bubble idea certainly has legs. My initial reaction was to setting up an NBA like bubble months long home for say the Big Ten one place and another conference else where etc. I don't see that happening.
But, playing multiple games in Minneapolis, Indianapolis and Detroit over a three to seven day stretch seems to have ongoing discussions. I'm not sure I see the difference between that and most any other arena? Still in hotels to sleep, I'd guess?
Thing to remember is this: Coaches, fans, players, writers are not making the decision. I'm not sure how much input AD's even had in the Big Ten presidents canceling football. They do whatever will keep their liability at a reasonable level. Despite, "not even once discussing it". Haha
 

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