The Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors (COP/C) adopted significant medical protocols including daily antigen testing, enhanced cardiac screening and an enhanced data-driven approach when making decisions about practice/competition. The COP/C voted unanimously to resume the football season starting the weekend of October 23-24, 2020. The decision was based on information presented by the Big Ten Return to Competition Task Force, a working group that was established by the COP/C and Commissioner Kevin Warren to ensure a collaborative and transparent process.
The Big Ten will require student-athletes, coaches, trainers and other individuals that are on the field for all practices and games to undergo daily antigen testing. Test results must be completed and recorded prior to each practice or game. Student-athletes who test positive for the coronavirus through point of contact (POC) daily testing would require a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test to confirm the result of the POC test.
“Everyone associated with the Big Ten should be very proud of the groundbreaking steps that are now being taken to better protect the health and safety of the student-athletes and surrounding communities,” said Dr. Jim Borchers, Head Team Physician, The Ohio State University and co-chair of the Return to Competition Task Force medical subcommittee.
“The data we are going to collect from testing and the cardiac registry will provide major contributions for all 14 Big Ten institutions as they study COVID-19 and attempt to mitigate the spread of the disease among wider communities.”
Each institution will designate a Chief Infection Officer (CInO) who will oversee the collection and reporting of data for the Big Ten Conference. Team test positivity rate and population positivity rate thresholds will be used to determine recommendations for continuing practice and competition.
All COVID-19 positive student-athletes will have to undergo comprehensive cardiac testing to include labs and biomarkers, ECG, Echocardiogram and a Cardiac MRI. Following cardiac evaluation, student-athletes must receive clearance from a cardiologist designated by the university for the primary purpose of cardiac clearance for COVID-19 positive student-athletes. The earliest a student-athlete can return to game competition is 21 days following a COVID-19 positive diagnosis.
In addition to the medical protocols approved, the 14 Big Ten institutions will establish a cardiac registry in an effort to examine the effects on COVID-19 positive student-athletes. The registry and associated data will attempt to answer many of the unknowns regarding the cardiac manifestations in COVID-19 positive elite athletes.
“From the onset of the pandemic, our highest priority has been the health and the safety of our students. The new medical protocols and standards put into place by the Big Ten Return To Competition Task Force were pivotal in the decision to move forward with sports in the conference,” said Morton Schapiro, Chair of the Big Ten Council of Presidents/Chancellors and Northwestern University President, and Chair of the Return to Competition Task Force Steering Committee. “We appreciate the conference’s dedication to developing the necessary safety procedures for our students and the communities that embrace them.”
“Our focus with the Task Force over the last six weeks was to ensure the health and safety of our student-athletes. Our goal has always been to return to competition so all student-athletes can realize their dream of competing in the sports they love,” said Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren. “We are incredibly grateful for the collaborative work that our Return to Competition Task Force have accomplished to ensure the health, safety and wellness of student-athletes, coaches and administrators.”
The Big Ten Conference will use data provided by each Chief Infection Officer (CInO) to make decisions about the continuation of practice and competition, as determined by team positivity rate and population positivity rate, based on a seven-day rolling average:
• Team positivity rate (number of positive tests divided by total number of tests administered):
o Green 0-2%
o Orange 2-5%
o Red >5%
• Population positivity rate (number of positive individuals divided by total population at risk):
o Green 0-3.5%
o Orange 3.5-7.5%
o Red >7.5%
Decisions to alter or halt practice and competition will be based on the following scenarios:
• Green/Green and Green/Orange: Team continues with normal practice and competition.
• Orange/Orange and Orange/Red: Team must proceed with caution and enhance COVID-19 prevention (alter practice and meeting schedule, consider viability of continuing with scheduled competition).
• Red/Red: Team must stop regular practice and competition for a minimum of seven days and reassess metrics until improved.
The daily testing will begin by September 30, 2020.
Eventually all Big Ten sports will require testing protocols before they can resume competition. Updates regarding fall sports other than football, as well as winter sports that begin in the fall including men’s and women’s basketball, men’s ice hockey, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, and wrestling, will be announced shortly.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 9:21 am:
B1G is an utter joke.
B1G kowtowed to Trump and the Trumpkins.
They coulda just been “another” conference that decided to go, but now will be known as the conference Trump bullied.
Congratulations.
Next time B1G wants to disparage other conferences, at least they weren’t bullied by Trump to make it “about the money”
B1G preview;
Nebraska will have 1 win.
Rutgers will be winless
Penn State will beat Ohio State, lose to Purdue
Ohio State will beat Michigan for the 53rd time in a row, or every time Harbaugh has been head coach
Ohio State will make the playoffs, lose to Clemson 38-0 in the Semis
Also a preview; I’ll watch as many games as I can
- very old soil - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 9:24 am:
Disappointing
- Lynn S. - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 9:25 am:
All that cardiac testing? For how many dozens of people? Each day?
That’s gonna get expensive, fast.
And frankly, this policy just emphasizes the need for student-athletes to be paid.
These young people are now being expected to endanger their health to satisfy a TV broadcast contract.
Sure feels like we have completely entered the final stage of the death of America as a nation-state and an ideal.
May the good Lord have mercy on us all.
- LoyalVirus - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 9:27 am:
Disappointing, sad, dangerous - indicative of how administrations view their school athletes - profits, not people.
- Boomer remover - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 9:28 am:
I guess we do put $ before lives….
- Not a Billionaire - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 9:31 am:
Well at least all the cardiac data will give us a good idea about long term morbidity in the young visibly asymptomatic.
- Don Harmon's Folly - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 9:36 am:
I look forward to Amy Jacobson asking Governor Pritzker about this.
- Bruce( no not him) - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 9:39 am:
“… only family members will be allowed to attend games at the outset.”
Unfortunately, due to funding issues, tickets will be $150.00 each.
- zatoichi - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 9:41 am:
Just gotta have that TV money.
- 1st Ward - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 9:44 am:
Hopefully it goes better than LSU. Do 40 times get better with diminished lung capacity and does draft stock increase with heart issues? Asking for a friend.
https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/29892180/lsu-coach-ed-orgeron-most-team-contracted-coronavirus
- Annonin' - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 9:45 am:
Amazing flip flop. Trump will be proud. Others can just hang their heads
- Stu - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 9:51 am:
Better plan than any other conference or the NFL as far as testing and response.
- Lincoln Lad - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 9:54 am:
Is this a budgetary decision? Do they need football revenue to limit some staff reductions across campus?
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 9:56 am:
=== Better plan than…===
Unless the plan is to have folks either “un-die” or reverse damage to organs like a heart, what are we really talking about?
Think on this;
MLB Playoffs will be in a bubble. The NBA? Bubble. WNBA? Bubble.
That’s the best.
Testing, retesting, protocols, follow ups, long term study… sounds swell… the bubble has been found the safest. There’s no second to the bubble.
Trump has tweeted already, bullies love to point out where they do those things.
Will this help in… Michigan… Ohio… Pennsylvania?
Trump taking credit won’t hurt, at the cost of student athletes, but I digress.
- truthteller - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 10:00 am:
I want to know who is going to pay for the care of many athletes that no doubt will get COVID an have significant health issues for who knows how long? Statistics tells us we will see several of these players die from COVID so whats the plan with these families?
- Chicagonk - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 10:06 am:
@OW - Don’t you think that the Big 10 presidents re-evaluated everything and made a decision based on evidence? I guarantee this had nothing to do with Trump.
- Mr. Hand - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 10:07 am:
===Statistics tells us we will see several of these players die from COVID so whats the plan with these families?===
What statistic is that?
- Last Bull Moose - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 10:08 am:
Back in my playing days, this would have been an acceptable program. Daily testing with automatic benching and quarantine for a positive test should protect the players and other personnel.
Not as sure about the cardio testing. I would want players that test positive two days in a row to be out for the season. Otherwise they will try to work out on their own.
The two day rule is to avoid false positives.
- Retire@55 - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 10:09 am:
=Statistics tells us we will see several of these players die from COVID so whats the plan with these families?=
“Brown U. epidemiologist finds zero hospitalizations from 26,000 positive COVID tests for college students”
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 10:11 am:
=== Don’t you think that the Big 10 presidents re-evaluated everything and made a decision based on evidence?===
You mean the evidence of lost revenues in athletic departments and lost donor monies?
Oh, they re-evaluated.
Ask LSU and Clemson about teams and positive athletes.
=== I guarantee this===
lol, the pressure, the tweets, the phone call, the idea of putting B1G in the box… any President can put pressure on any industry, including college football it seems.
Plus, Trump already is setting himself up for credit here, so there’s that.
- 1st Ward - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 10:16 am:
“Don’t you think that the Big 10 presidents re-evaluated everything and made a decision based on evidence”
Do you believe these are student-athletes? If yes, why did the same presidents switch to online learning?
Why stop at CTE when you can give lung and heart damage too while receiving millions for your school, AD, and coaching staff. At the beginning of rona the left said people over profits when it came to re-opening businesses; I guess the same doesn’t apply when it comes to academia and “student-athletes”
- striketoo - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 10:26 am:
How exactly does cardiac testing undo the damage to young hearts?
- Joe Bidenopolous - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 10:27 am:
America is disappointing in its lack of collective willpower and it’s fatalistic belief in self over community. Folks, decisions like these are why the US will live with this virus through at least 2022 while other countries have long since moved on
- Cheryl44 - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 10:28 am:
What if family members don’t want to be in the stands? It’s not as if all the football players at Northwestern* have family in the northern suburbs. I’m guessing most families would have to travel even to home games.
*It’s a Big 10 school, right?
- kids are kids - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 10:29 am:
“I want to know who is going to pay for the care of many athletes that no doubt will get COVID an have significant health issues for who knows how long?”
The same people that are handling this for the rest of the college student population attending class in person.
I love how people believe that these University presidents are swayed by Trump. They’re swayed by money and that alone. That’s why the campuses are open with very limited class room time. They need tuition. They need revenue from the B1G network. They need their alumni to write checks for science centers.
- Practical Politics - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 10:33 am:
Of course, Illinois stands to make money off legalized sports betting and the B1G conference headquarters is based in Illinois… so why would you expect any different result?
- Last Bull Moose - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 10:35 am:
Cardio testing is to prevent damage, not undo it. Damage comes through exercising while the heart is inflamed.
- Jose Abreu's Next Homer - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 10:37 am:
The nation can now heal because god-like college football coaches told us that college football will assist in the national healing.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 10:46 am:
===Illinois stands to make money off legalized sports betting and the B1G conference headquarters is based in Illinois===
LOL
Way too early to be drinking that much.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 10:51 am:
=== I love how people believe that these University presidents are swayed by Trump.===
Never met a Trump voter I take it…
- Frank talks - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 10:52 am:
15 years from now trial attorneys pay outs on all these premature openings, of many different things, will be huge. A student athlete in college who at 35 has a heart issue due to Covid infection 15 years earlier will be ripe for suing an institution of higher learning that decided to go against science.
- Steve Rogers - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 11:06 am:
I’m not so sure the Big Ten was cowtowing to Trump. I would guess it’s all about the Benjamins. The Big Ten saw that the ACC, Big 12, and SEC (and now the NFL) seem to be playing games, and didn’t want to lose out on any possible championship and bowl income. It’s all about the $$$$$$.
- Cool Papa Bell - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 11:08 am:
Almost everything associated with big time college football didn’t have the best interest of the athletes that play anyway.
My only hope is that this can somehow push those young men to getting paid to play in the future. Treating them much more like the revenue generators they are rather than the “student athletes” schools pretend them to be.
- Amalia - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 11:11 am:
I want all the players to sign waivers. Or let’s make the coaches and University Presidents and ADs pay the bills with their huge fancy money (and small briains). why should these players get rapid tests when everyone else waits, and not just other fall sports team members. why not other groups that await their industry starting up? and, tax dollars to University of Illinois going to this ridiculous effort. for what?
- Chicagonk - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 11:14 am:
@OW - The pressure came because the decision was unpopular with the biggest stakeholders in the situation - the players. Not everything is about Trump.
- Blue Dog Dem - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 11:27 am:
Heck. If Trump could get H.S. Football going in Illinois he might even carry the Land O Lincoln.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 11:47 am:
=== Not everything is about Trump.===
lol, don’t tell *me* that, tell Trump and the Trunpkins.
See: Dem, Blue Dog
The cult like folks think exactly that.
:)
- Joe Bidenopolous - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 11:48 am:
===The pressure came because the decision was unpopular with the biggest stakeholders in the situation - the players===
LOLOLOLOLOL
If you think this is about anything other than the tens of millions of dollars the conferences and the individual schools would’ve lost by not playing, well, then I have a real estate transaction to discuss with you
- ajjacksson - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 11:52 am:
OW….why does it have to be that the big 10 “gave in” to Trump? What, really, dies Trump have to do with it? I didn’t vote for Trump—and I think the resumption of football is a good decision.
Your assessment makes me feel like you were in favor of no big ten football to make Trump look bad. This is not about trump, nor should it be.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 11:53 am:
=== The pressure came because the decision was unpopular with the biggest stakeholders in the situation…===
… The Big Ten Network, ESPN, CBS, The Bowl Championship Playoffs…
… in short the money folks… and the universities *need* those revenues in return. The word “need” isn’t hyperbole, ask Iowa and the sports already cut, or Michigan State…
There’s money on the table. The schools need the money.
The players are the freight.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 12:01 pm:
=== why does it have to be that the big 10 “gave in” to Trump? What, really, does Trump have to do with it?===
Do you live under a rock?
Trump tweeted, made a call with the commissioner, tweeted about the call, tweeted further about B1G not playing.
Trump wants to claim his influence made this happen, Trumpkins will agree. Is it true? The TV money won, the revenue with the football playoffs assisted, including a B1G championship game… but Trump… in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania… “Trump” won.
=== Your assessment makes me feel like you were in favor of no big ten football to make Trump look bad.===
Nope.
I’ve said for weeks and weeks… and weeks.
Only a functioning society deserves sports.
It was B1G that agreed and knew… athletes’ lives (at the time) weren’t worth the risk.
The beauty of my admitted and forced admitted irony that, of course I’ll watch… is as a country, we consume what feeds ourselves, and the cost, as long as it’s not to us (but to those like athletes) “we” (me in this instance) accept that.
It’s an utter embarrassment that B1G did right, even with the SEC, BIGXII, ACC all playing.
Now it appears (to Trumpkins specifically) that B1G kowtowed to Trump, Trump saved the Big Ten football season.
That’s a failure on a different level, and B1G needs to stop with they are this or that as a conference, in reality they are cowards in the end, worse than the silly who thought early on football is/was smart.
- Blue Dog Dem - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 12:03 pm:
Does anyone think that the Big 10, JB Pritzker or Donald Trump care one iota about the health of college football players. Google CTE in college football and that tells you all you need to know.
- PANTHER - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 12:05 pm:
For those that think Trump had anything to do with this bring it back down to Earth. Money is the driving force here. The players have much better care for Covid in a university program than back in their home communities which, unfortunately, are not always the best environment.
- Blue Dog Dem - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 12:11 pm:
I wish I was tech savvy enough to revisit a post I made very early on in this pandemic. Something to do with the lockdown ending with the startup of hs football. Most of my comments regarding this topic are intended to be sarcastic. I have one son who suffers to this day from concussion symptoms earned more than likely from his playing days…colleges and the NFL don’t seem to care a bit. Most parents aren’t even aware of CTE cause it gets swept under the rug by the big money. No different than what the results of Covid may bring.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 12:16 pm:
I’m not gonna add the tweet itself, y’all can find it.
Trump’s tweet about B1G football coming back ends…
“It is my great honor to have helped” (3 exclamation marks)
Maybe y’all worried how I see this framed should focus your beefs at POTUS’ tweeter thingy where he claims… he helped?
- Ajjacksson - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 12:31 pm:
No OW I don’t live under a rock.
There are too many people in this world – – and you appear to be one of them - – that are more concerned about Trumpand Pritzker then about the people that are being affected.
I have twins at home. Want to ask one to take out the trash, he will say, “why do I have to do it? Why doesn’t he have to do it?“
I am tired of the argument. I don’t care if it’s Trump’s fault or Pritzker’s fault. Solve the problem. Deal with the issue, independent of the politics. Solve the problem.
Call me idealistic. Don’t call me ignorant.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 12:33 pm:
=== that are more concerned about Trumpand==
Ya gotta keep up, Trump congratulated himself for helping.
- Pundent - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 12:34 pm:
=Most of my comments regarding this topic are intended to be sarcastic. I have one son who suffers to this day from concussion symptoms earned more than likely from his playing days=
That is one warped sense of humor. I would also think that it would make you a bit more appreciative about the devastating life long effects of illnesses and injuries where little is known.
- Blue Dog Dem - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 12:39 pm:
Pundent. Sarcasm and humor are not the same thing.
- 618er - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 12:43 pm:
–Heck. If Trump could get H.S. Football going in Illinois he might even carry the Land O Lincoln–
I bet the IHSA phone had been ringing non-stop
- Anyone Remember - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 1:40 pm:
Follow the $$$$.
- R A T - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 2:02 pm:
So my friend says she is Christian and will bite the bullet and vote for Trump despite (she then lists about ten things). I told her what I think and we will not be friends for awhile.
And I am sorry OW but you declaring you will watch these games, bothers me just as much. It is wrong to do (and I will miss it).
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 2:07 pm:
=== And I am sorry OW but you declaring you will watch these games, bothers me just as much.===
I get it. No harm, friend. Heck, I understand it more than you think.
I was not going to *not* be honest about watching.
In the same breath, I was never clamoring for college football, nor did I think B1G was wrong not playing. I would’ve been more than fine with no games.
My best to you. Stay well.
- Jose Abreu's Next Homer - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 2:42 pm:
Notice that the non revenue sports are still cancelled.
- Roadiepig - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 2:58 pm:
So now the PAC 12 is the only major football conference not playing. I might have missed it, but has Trump spent any time pressuring them to resume playing, or was the Big 10 the only one that mattered to his campaign (not a lot of PAC 12 school states are likely to vote for him, after all?)
- Roadiepig - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 2:59 pm:
Oh wait- now he’s taking his victory lap he mentions that the PAC 12 should restart. Why wait until today? Hum…
- TaxTheMemes - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 3:04 pm:
I really thought a sport that exposes its players to 1200 head contacts a season would be more health-oriented…
- Amalia - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 3:19 pm:
@Jose Abreu’s Next Homer (love that nickname) no sport played in college is non revenue. yes, I know most sportswriters call them that, but they are wrong. these sports sell tickets…even a few…so they take in revenue. also the tv contracts are not just about the football teams. you could call some tems profit centers–the correct accounting term– except there is maybe one football program in the U.S. that pays for itself, so even then they lose money.
- Taxedoutwest - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 4:15 pm:
A lot of yelling at each other, I guess normal these days, but Rich can Guv JB forbid games in IL?
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Sep 16, 20 @ 4:27 pm:
===Rich can Guv JB forbid games in IL? ===
Probably, but he’s allowed universities to do their own thing within some guidelines. If they packed their stadiums, though…