Effects of coronavirus on college sports

[Da Coach]

I have complained about the high cost of medications. However, it is the profit these companies made that allowed them to spend very large funds of money on development without knowing whether they would be successful.

Yes, you are right. And drugs are too expensive. We need to find ways to make sure everyone can get the pharmaceuticals they need.
But most of the new drugs and vaccines come from free market countries like the US that allow the developers to profit from their research & development.
Most people don't realize that it costs a median of $2.6 billion to develop a new drug, and nearly 90% of all new drugs that pharmaceutical companies get into clinical testing never make it to market.

https://www.policymed.com/2014/12/a-tough-road-cost-to-develop-one-new-drug-is-26-billion-approval-rate-for-drugs-entering-clinical-de.html

[Da Coach]

Because of Covid, the Patriot League is using a "pod" format to schedule their conference games this season to reduce travel.
Check out the Boston University league schedule-
https://goterriers.com/sports/mens-b...hedule/2020-21

Boston U. will play nearby Holy Cross SIX times in the regular season! They play 2 of other teams in their pod (Army & Colgate) FOUR times each!
And they could play any of those teams an additional time in the Patriot League Postseason Tournament.
So, in their 16 Patriot League games, they play Holy Cross 6 times, Colgate 4 times, Army 4 times, and Lafayette 2 times.
And they don't play the other 5 Patriot League teams (American U., Navy, Bucknell, Lehigh, and Loyola of MD) even once!

It appears this schedule favors Boston U. a bit. Holy Cross was one of the absolute worst teams in Division I last year. They were 3-29 overall, and 2-16 in the Patriot League. They finished dead last in the Patriot League, 5 games behind the next worst team. Boston U. must be licking their chops at the prospect of playing them 6 times in a 16 game league schedule.
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...ngs/_/group/22

[Da Coach]

I am going to ask the MVC to switch to a similar pod schedule, and put Bradley in the same pod with ISU and Evansville.


DePaul announces they will not allow fans in attendance for the start of the 20-21 season.

https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/1325821009036009475

Note some of the twitter replies wonder how that will be any different than usual.

[Da Coach]

Here is a good article about how recruits are able to make their choices without being allowed to make official visits, or for coaches to see them live or have in-person contact of any kind.
Self-paid unofficial campus visits and Zoom sessions have become the norm for recruiting this year. -
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...ie/6186900002/

[64NIT]

And so it begins. Miami-Stetson season-opening game has been postponed:

MBB Opener vs. Stetson Postponed

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami and Stetson University announced Wednesday the season-opening men’s basketball game between the two schools has been postponed.

The Hurricanes and Hatters were scheduled to meet Nov. 25 at the Watsco Center. This postponement comes following a positive COVID-19 test within the Stetson basketball program.

The schools are looking into rescheduling options and an update will be provided once available.

https://miamihurricanes.com/news/202...son-postponed/

I would expect more postponements, even cancellations, going forward.

[64NIT]

Another one:

.
@IonaGaelsMBB
is the latest team to shut down for 2 weeks due to a positive Covid test from a member of the support staff, no players or coaches, per source. The team's first 4 games are canceled.

https://twitter.com/AdamZagoria/status/1326938494929956866

[Da Coach]

I propose that on the day that the first vaccine becomes available, the initial supply should be distributed to all Division I basketball teams for the players and team personnel. That seems like the proper priority to me.

[Tommy]

I propose that on the day that the first vaccine becomes available, the initial supply should be distributed to all Division I basketball teams for the players and team personnel. That seems like the proper priority to me.

I like it!

[Da Coach]

Missouri State will allow 3,991 fans to attend their home games in JQH Arena.

https://twitter.com/WyattWheeler_NL/status/1327004060097146880

Normal capacity is 11,000, and 3,991 is 36.28% of capacity. They don't say how they arrived at this number,
but they averaged 3,943 at the home games last season.

[Tommy]

I wonder if they’re going to allow visiting fans?

[Da Coach]

The Ivy League, which was the first conference to cancel all fall sports, has just cancelled all winter sports, including men's and women's basketball.
In addition, the pushed the start of spring sports back until at least the end of February, and they ruled out playing the fall sports in the spring.

https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/30305855/ivy-league-cancels-winter-sports-season-delaying-spring-play-sources-say

[Da Coach]

Teams and conferences cancelling part or all of their season-

The Ivy League, has completely cancelled the 2020-21 basketball season along with all winter sports-
https://www.cbssports.com/college-ba...e-to-covid-19/

Bethune-Cookman University of the MEAC has also cancelled their 2020-21 basketball season and all sports for the 2020-21 season-
https://bcuathletics.com/news/2020/1...n-2020-21.aspx

The Patriot League will play only conference games in 3 mini-bubble-like groups starting Jan. 2-
https://thebrownandwhite.com/2020/11...in-in-january/

UMES of the MEAC has decided to play only conference games
https://www.delmarvanow.com/story/sp...ry/3428767001/

New Mexico State is planning on playing their regular schedule, but the Covid restrictions in New Mexico will not allow them to play in their home arena. Thus they are looking for an arena out of state that will allow them to play-
https://www.ktsm.com/sports/college-...coming-season/

Cal State Northridge of the Big West has cancelled their women's basketball season because they have had six players opt out of playing and one foreign player unable to return to the US, leaving the team with only 6 players.
https://mynewsla.com/business/2020/1...o-coronavirus/

[BUfan17]

I am kind of doubting there will even be a college basketball season, things are not looking good. Wasn't Ivy the first to cancel back in March? I think we are in for a brutal winter, and probably no college basketball to make it any better.

[Da Coach]

I am kind of doubting there will even be a college basketball season, things are not looking good. Wasn't Ivy the first to cancel back in March? I think we are in for a brutal winter, and probably no college basketball to make it any better.

The Ivy League appears to have been the first Division I conference to cancel all 2020 spring sports back on March 11-

https://ivyleague.com/news/2020/3/11/general-ivy-league-to-cancel-all-athletic-events-through-the-remainder-of-the-spring.aspx

They were also the first to cancel fall sports, including football, back on July 8-

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/08/ivy-league-cancels-football-and-other-fall-sports-due-to-covid-19.html

And now they are the first D1 conference to cancel all winter sports.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/ivy-league-becomes-first-division-i-conference-to-cancel-winter-sports-11605230508

[algotrader]

Just got word, wife will be getting the vaccine sometime in December. Her hospital is getting doses soon. They said it wasn’t definitive, but they feel sure enough to start notifying people.