As states begin to relax restrictions and remove stay-at-home orders that have been in place for months because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the attention has now started to turn to sports and the eventual return to the field and floor. The NCAA decided earlier this week to allow college programs to begin having voluntary on-campus workouts starting on June 1 for football, men's basketball and women's basketball teams.
It made the decision on Friday to do the same for the rest of the sports on campus meaning within the next couple weeks every sport will be permitted to have voluntary on-campus training.
There has been growing confidence that there will be a college season this year and football is at the forefront of the conversation because of how much the revenue from it trickles down to other sports.
It has become clear that the general feeling is college football teams will need around six weeks to prepare for the upcoming season that begins in late August. For the season to go off without a delay that would mean athletes will have to be on campus in July.
Speaking to CNN on Friday alongside SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott said he believes teams will be on track for the scheduled start of the season as long as there is continued progress in limiting the spread of the coronavirus.
"We've got three states in our conference where gyms are already open and student-athletes are wanting to get back," Scott said. "And, in most cases, we feel that student-athletes will be in a safer position and healthier position if they can have access to the world-class medical care, supervision and support they can get on their campuses if there are issues with the virus. ... But, these are baby steps bringing student-athletes back to campus, and if things continue to progress in a positive direction then training camp for football could start as early as late July.
"And we could be on a nice glide path to the start of the college football season at the end of August."
The SEC decided on Friday that it will allow its schools to welcome athletes back for voluntary workouts beginning June 8. The belief right now is that the Pac-12 will zero in on somewhere around June 15 as its date to allow its schools to begin voluntary workouts on campus with the decision on that to come next week.
The NCAA said Friday that required activities will not be allowed through June 30.
There are still questions about whether or not fans will be allowed into stadiums once games begin along with how many could be in the stands. Arizona athletic director Dave Heeke recently said that he believes this season will bring a "modified" fan experience.
Scott believes how that will be handled this year will be dependent on local restrictions and will be a case-by-case situation for most schools.
"Well I think what we're gonna see is a patchwork state by state on the fan issue," he said. "I think collectively college football will move together to start playing, hopefully, at the beginning of the season assuming we have support from public health officials but I think we're going to see a wide disparity across the country. I even see it in my own conference where states will allow fans probably initially on some socially-distanced basis and then in a phased approach starting to allow more and more.
"Some states will be a little more conservative and we'll be playing in front of empty stadiums, which will be a bit surreal and challenging. We realize this is going to be a phased restart, reopening of society. The early steps are to safely get students back to campus, to start the competition and I think it's gonna be some time before we see full stadiums and arenas again."
Arizona's football season is set to begin Aug. 29 with a game against Hawaii in Tucson at Arizona Stadium. The Wildcats are one of 14 teams that are scheduled to play in Week Zero.
