Report: NFL's COVID-19 backup schedule includes no bye weeks

[ATL_PHIN_FAN]

The NFL season is currently set to continue without interruption, although the COVID-19 pandemic may have some say in that before September rolls around and the NFL is ready to kickoff their 101st season. With this much notice ahead of the potential start to the season, the league has been reportedly hard at work to secure contingency plans and help the league go off with as little interruption as possible. And now, thanks to a report from John Ourand and Ben Fischer of the Sports Business Journal, we have some idea of what exactly that contingency plan might look like.

According to the report, one potential backup plan for the league’s schedule would involve a mid-October kickoff, a season that runs with no bye weeks and culminates with a late February Super Bowl — hardly the expanded schedule that NFL fans have come to know and love. But trying times call for compromise and should this be the biggest impact to the NFL in 2020, the league will have been spared the brunt of the impact — unlike Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League and the National Basketball Association, all of which have seen their seasons thrown on ice and interrupted by lockdowns across the country.

Hopefully the current climate across the country will be able to stabilize and all will be able to return to something the more closely resembles “normalcy” — but the timetable for such a shift is still something that is hard to grasp. As such, the NFL is doing what it can to be ready whenever that time comes. With the NFL Draft having gone off without a hitch, the league is positioned to have another extended window before having to make any significant alterations.

Only time will provide the clarity needed to determine what those actions will be.


https://dolphinswire.usatoday.com/2...vid-19-backup-schedule-includes-no-bye-weeks/

 

[GBpackers10]

I don’t mind going till Late February. That would get us Northerners through the long brutal winter.

 

[SkapePhin]

Pushing back the season would likely make it worse. Given the way local governments will let up, and people relax their own social distancing, a second (and possibly deadlier) wave is highly likely and would come in the fall. Making it even worse, Flu season also picks up in late Fall. The compounding impact of Covid-19 and Flu will make things far worse than they are today, IMO.

2021 is when we can even approach normal again as a vaccine begins to be rolled out. If anything, they should consider a shortened season beginning in January 2021.

Why the Second Wave of the 1918 Flu Pandemic Was So Deadly | HISTORY

The first strain of the Spanish Flu wasn’t particularly deadly. Then it came back in the fall with a vengeance.

www.history.com

 

[ATL_PHIN_FAN]

Pushing back the season would likely make it worse. Given the way local governments will let up, and people relax their own social distancing, a second (and possibly deadlier) wave is highly likely and would come in the fall. Making it even worse, Flu season also picks up in late Fall. The compounding impact of Covid-19 and Flu will make things far worse than they are today, IMO.

2021 is when we can even approach normal again as a vaccine begins to be rolled out. If anything, they should consider a shortened season beginning in January 2021.

Why the Second Wave of the 1918 Flu Pandemic Was So Deadly | HISTORY

The first strain of the Spanish Flu wasn’t particularly deadly. Then it came back in the fall with a vengeance.

www.history.com

I think the NFL will solve those issues by using mitigation techniques. At the very least, they may even televise games at empty stadiums. While I think no one wants that, I'll take it.

 

[hoops]

So a mid october start and a late February super bowl would involve a shortened regular/postseason would it not?

Ugh

 

[SkapePhin]

I think the NFL will solve those issues by using mitigation techniques. At the very least, they may even televise games at empty stadiums. While I think no one wants that, I'll take it.

well there is absolutely no way they will play with fans in the stands period. That is a forgone conclusion, but if they play at all depends on how the virus is contained or not throughout the country.

Travel will be a nightmare, and consider if star players get the virus and need to automatically lose 2 to 3 weeks. We could see situations in which entire teams need to be quarantined.They would need to forfeit 3 weeks. Competitive balance then becomes an issue.

Also, you think old out of shape coaches want to risk their lives in locker rooms?

The more you think about it the less likely a season becomes.

 

[dolfan91]

Better late than never. But more importantly it needs to be SAFE!!!!

 

[ATL_PHIN_FAN]

well there is absolutely no way they will play with fans in the stands period. That is a forgone conclusion, but if they play at all depends on how the virus is contained or not throughout the country.

Travel will be a nightmare, and consider if star players get the virus and need to automatically lose 2 to 3 weeks. We could see situations in which entire teams need to be quarantined.They would need to forfeit 3 weeks. Competitive balance then becomes an issue.

Also, you think old out of shape coaches want to risk their lives in locker rooms?

The more you think about it the less likely a season becomes.

I've heard speculation they may play all games in high humidity, warm climates at, or near, 80 degrees. That could be Miami, a bit ironically. But research is showing that the virus doesn't survive long at all in those conditions.

Yeah, could be risky. If even one team has serious covid 19 issues not experienced by other teams, I would think that would end any attempt at a season right there.

 

[fansinceGWilson]

The NFL season is currently set to continue without interruption, although the COVID-19 pandemic may have some say in that before September rolls around and the NFL is ready to kickoff their 101st season. With this much notice ahead of the potential start to the season, the league has been reportedly hard at work to secure contingency plans and help the league go off with as little interruption as possible. And now, thanks to a report from John Ourand and Ben Fischer of the Sports Business Journal, we have some idea of what exactly that contingency plan might look like.

According to the report, one potential backup plan for the league’s schedule would involve a mid-October kickoff, a season that runs with no bye weeks and culminates with a late February Super Bowl — hardly the expanded schedule that NFL fans have come to know and love. But trying times call for compromise and should this be the biggest impact to the NFL in 2020, the league will have been spared the brunt of the impact — unlike Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League and the National Basketball Association, all of which have seen their seasons thrown on ice and interrupted by lockdowns across the country.

Hopefully the current climate across the country will be able to stabilize and all will be able to return to something the more closely resembles “normalcy” — but the timetable for such a shift is still something that is hard to grasp. As such, the NFL is doing what it can to be ready whenever that time comes. With the NFL Draft having gone off without a hitch, the league is positioned to have another extended window before having to make any significant alterations.

Only time will provide the clarity needed to determine what those actions will be.


https://dolphinswire.usatoday.com/2...vid-19-backup-schedule-includes-no-bye-weeks/

Why am I confused? Lose 2-3 Sept games and add 2-3 games in Feb. That's a shortened season that needs no bye?

 

[ATL_PHIN_FAN]

Why am I confused? Lose 2-3 Sept games and add 2-3 games in Feb. That's a shortened season that needs no bye?

Yeah, not really sure why no bye is needed. Unless, the season needs to get ended before the official 2021 season is supposed to start? Maybe they are hoping the virus won't have to affect two NFL seasons?

 

[SkapePhin]

I've heard speculation they may play all games in high humidity, warm climates at, or near, 80 degrees. That could be Miami, a bit ironically. But research is showing that the virus doesn't survive long at all in those conditions.

Yeah, could be risky. If even one team has serious covid 19 issues not experienced by other teams, I would think that would end any attempt at a season right there.

Even if the virus spreads less easily in warmer more humid climates, the players are still spending most of their days in very confined spaces having a ton of contact with 50+ other people. That is not really an ideal situation for minimizing the spread of a highly contagious virus.

In all honesty the most viable contingency plan involves playing the entire season in an isolated facility where no one can make contact with the outside world.

Other than that any season will require extensive testing. Players will need to be tested each day before entering a facility. And have you seen the test??

 

[Locke]

Even if the virus spreads less easily in warmer more humid climates, the players are still spending most of their days in very confined spaces having a ton of contact with 50+ other people. That is not really an ideal situation for minimizing the spread of a highly contagious virus.

In all honesty the most viable contingency plan involves playing the entire season in an isolated facility where no one can make contact with the outside world.

Other than that any season will require extensive testing. Players will need to be tested each day before entering a facility. And have you seen the test??

 

[dolfan91]

The only way to be safe and sure is for Science to take its course and find a Vaccine. Once that's done everything can potentially return to normalcy, especially the sports world.

 

[ATL_PHIN_FAN]

Even if the virus spreads less easily in warmer more humid climates, the players are still spending most of their days in very confined spaces having a ton of contact with 50+ other people. That is not really an ideal situation for minimizing the spread of a highly contagious virus.

In all honesty the most viable contingency plan involves playing the entire season in an isolated facility where no one can make contact with the outside world.

Other than that any season will require extensive testing. Players will need to be tested each day before entering a facility. And have you seen the test??

I would think they'd have to wait at least a month in that isolated facility to be sure no one is carrying, or that all are immune?

 

[tcdrover]

I hate to sound like the adult in the room but...

some folks are trying VERY HARD to transition us into a "The Hunger Games" reality

and loads of people are STILL more focused and concerned about entertainment.

Was George Washington worried about safety?

The answer is.....

OF COURSE NOT.

If we LET THEM, they will take it ALL away from us and we'lll ALL end up with brain stem implants.

Elon Musk is on tape talking about this. It is NOT a secret