PFL Cancels 2020 Season?

[valpopal]

Not official yet, but I am hearing that the Pioneer League will cancel its fall 2020 season. Announcement may come tomorrow.

[JD24]

http://www.fcs.football/cfb/story.asp?i=20200806194702579978004&ref=rec&tm=&src=FCS

[valpopal]

Not official yet, but I am hearing that the Pioneer League will cancel its fall 2020 season. Announcement may come tomorrow.

Further, word is that the PFL does not rule out shifting to a spring season if possible.

[usc4valpo]

It was fairly obvious this announcement was inevitable. I wonder what the players will do during the fall.

[valpopal]

Here is the official announcement:


[tweet]1291736150495780867[/tweet]

[crusadermoe]

Certainly expected.   I hope that doesn't cost us enrollment!   Hope not.  But if so that would bolster the argument that FB is a net gain in revenue when we have it.  Conversely, a low number of transfers weakens the FB net revenue argument for VU.

I noticed that James Danko, Butler U. President was quoted.   I just now remembered that Danko was hired for his excellent business background though perhaps less credentialed academically.   The VU Torch student paper noted in January 2020 in stark terms how much Butler's enrollment grew during 2010-2019 vs. the huge drop at VU over the same period.  Can't recall when Danko started.

Perhaps running a $125 million operationat Valpo is a role suited to a business leader rather than....say...an actor?... or a philosopher? 

[usc4valpo]

So it will be interesting what the current roster will do this fall. Will they practice until November, or perhaps practice less frequently to enhance or maintain strength and technique? Are the players going to lose focus practicing against each other other for 4 months? This is a new challenge for coaching and an out of the box opportunity.

[NWIGuy]

Based just on what I'm seeing from other FCS schools in conferences that have cancelled the fall season, I would expect Valpo Football to be in "Spring Football" mode. S & C sessions and meetings will, at some point, expand to a practice schedule that is much like Spring Football.  Not sure if NCAA or FCS or PFL or Valpo Compliance will set a limit in terms of weekly hours of contact or not, but seems like whatever the contact hours cap is for Spring Football will likely be in place.

Seems to me that where things will get REAL interesting is Fall 2021. How many players decide to graduate in May 2021 and move on with their lives? While Valpo doesn't face scholarship limits, they DO face roster limits, so how many recruits can you bring in?

[wh]

The Big 10, PAC-12 and Mountain West have cancelled all fall sports.

[VALPO LI]

Not surprised by this announcement at all.  To big of a liability for institutions to allow kids to play right now.