What do we do if there is no NFL 2020 season?

[Geewhizkid]

Testing for the virus has come a long way. Certainly the players and team staff can be tested up to 30 minutes before a game. What if the testing advances to where fans can show a test result from 24 hours before a game and be allowed in the stadium. Walgreen's and CVS are already talking of this. I think pre-season games should be like practice scrimmages. perhaps in a stadium, but maybe at practice facilities. Season starts in September, 5 months from now. There will need to be special precautions, but I think it can go on. Our league is discussing different scenarios, including a late start, or a suspension once the season starts. Once the NFL draft occurs, we should start to see real commitments and schedules.

[heydangle]

What do we do?
Cry I guess

[FantasyFreak]

Testing for the virus has come a long way. Certainly the players and team staff can be tested up to 30 minutes before a game. What if the testing advances to where fans can show a test result from 24 hours before a game and be allowed in the stadium. Walgreen's and CVS are already talking of this. I think pre-season games should be like practice scrimmages. perhaps in a stadium, but maybe at practice facilities. Season starts in September, 5 months from now. There will need to be special precautions, but I think it can go on. Our league is discussing different scenarios, including a late start, or a suspension once the season starts. Once the NFL draft occurs, we should start to see real commitments and schedules.

It's not really about testing, it's about limiting the spreading. This thing isn't getting better yet, it's still getting worse. This thing is so far above and beyond the NFL's decision making and control. I really don't think fans in stands is any sort of reality in September. I would be ecstatic to be wrong.

[killer_of_giants]

I think there will be a season but games with no crowds would be pretty sad.

falcons' games will still sound good!

[Ray Finkle]

I think there will be a season but games with no crowds would be pretty sad.

falcons' games will still sound good!

Well done

[mild]

It's not really about testing, it's about limiting the spreading. This thing isn't getting better yet, it's still getting worse. This thing is so far above and beyond the NFL's decision making and control. I really don't think fans in stands is any sort of reality in September. I would be ecstatic to be wrong.

As usual FF, you're stone-cold right on this one.

USA has far bigger problems than the NFL season now, unfortunately. The unemployment figures are currently making the 2008 crisis look like a stroll in the park.

[Geewhizkid]

Testing for the virus has come a long way. Certainly the players and team staff can be tested up to 30 minutes before a game. What if the testing advances to where fans can show a test result from 24 hours before a game and be allowed in the stadium. Walgreen's and CVS are already talking of this. I think pre-season games should be like practice scrimmages. perhaps in a stadium, but maybe at practice facilities. Season starts in September, 5 months from now. There will need to be special precautions, but I think it can go on. Our league is discussing different scenarios, including a late start, or a suspension once the season starts. Once the NFL draft occurs, we should start to see real commitments and schedules.

It's not really about testing, it's about limiting the spreading. This thing isn't getting better yet, it's still getting worse. This thing is so far above and beyond the NFL's decision making and control. I really don't think fans in stands is any sort of reality in September. I would be ecstatic to be wrong.

I totally agree. 1. It is about controlling the spread. 2. It is above the NFL's decision making. My post was in the context of our fantasy league discussing contingencies. We have 3 categories: Sunny, Cloudy and Gloom. Mine fits into the Sunny side. There are many insiders in the NFL being peppered with questions from the media. Replies are all in the "IMO" remarks. They don't know. They also do not have the authority to make policy. I would guess the governors and mayors and NFL will have battles over this. The NFL cannot force the opening of the Superdome for a Saints game. The NFL does not own it, nor have authority. I suppose they could sue the city/state. But, so what, Force Majeure would win in court. I am not "predicting" the future. As in our league, we are planning and discussing "what if" contingencies. Makes for a weird and interesting message board on our league site. Probably the busiest in 18 years. I can only wish, come September, there is a "sunny" condition.

[bjd5211]

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2 ... 20-season/

Interesting piece on one potential solution for the 2021 draft if there were indeed no season. It draws comparison to the NHL lockout that wiped out an entire season in a year with a generational prospect (Sidney Crosby) just like there will be in the NFL in '21 with Lawrence possibly entering.

[dynastyninja]

I think there is a really high chance that we don't have the 2020 season. Extremely disappointing and I know not something any of us want, but I don't see how they get away with starting the season until we have some sort of covid remedy.

[FantasyFreak]

I think there is a really high chance that we don't have the 2020 season. Extremely disappointing and I know not something any of us want, but I don't see how they get away with starting the season until we have some sort of covid remedy.

There still isn't a vaccine for SARS, to my knowledge. I don't think the world will stay shut down fo 18 months while we come up with a vaccine. There still may not be a season, but this thing may just run it's course. Good weather is still ahead which typically slows down viruses. I've seen the idea that a vaccine would be required before things get back to normal, but I don't think that will be the case, personally. I think that a season with no fans is almost a certainty, but I believe they will definitely push for a season, even a shortened one, as TV revenue is such a big part of the overall revenue. The logistics of that are much more reasonable than a season with fans in the seats. I think that idea is a pipe dream, as it stands now. I think it's still too early to tell, though. A lot of time between now and November, when they could start a shortened season.

[FantasyFreak]

This could be good or disastrous for other sports. The Bundesliga, Germany's major soccer league, is planning to restart in May. Teams returned to training, under government regulations.

https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-bunde ... a-53089662

[CGW]

Ill be the first to admit i didnt expect sports to flat out cancel seasons. I thought we would see more postponements.

There will be areas of the economy opening up within the next month or so and it sounds like it will be left up to each governor to relay the federal recommendations, good or bad. That doesn't mean sports will continue as we know it so soon, but I have to imagine that businesses will find a way to make money. Seeing the beginning of the season with no fans is a likely possibly. Fantasy drives the NFL and they know it is a big part of their model. I could see players required to wear full plastic face guards, staff on the sidelines wearing masks, commentators maintaining a bit more distance than normal, etc.

It is also highly likely that there is a vaccine early 2021 with all of the focus and money being pumped into these areas. Several are already proving effective through preclinical trials and are now being tested in clinical trials in humans as we speak for proper dosing and side effects. JNJ and Moderna are leading the charge, both whom project early 2021 for release to the public. There are ~70 vaccines in the works. I'm hopeful.

[mild]

The season will happen. No way our country will stay closed that long. We sure as hell better hope not or we will be in a massive depression like the world has never seen most likely.

I was going to reply to this in the Joe Burrow thread, but it's probably better replied to in here. I hope this isn't too much of a downer. Context is everything:

https://www.gifng.com/wow/73953

That chart is now out of date, and that figure has, in fact, nearly tripled - cumulative applications for unemployment in the US were set to hit 17 million people as of Friday last week. (Source)

A "massive depression like the world has never seen" is unfortunately the new reality that we are now facing. If you don't believe me, just ask any of your friends in retail, manufacturing, or hospitality. The world has drastically changed, and for them especially, overnight.

I sure hope we get to keep sports during all of this - I would welcome any distraction. But the aftershocks of this are going to kick for years societally - even just based on the numbers alone.

[FantasyFreak]

The season will happen. No way our country will stay closed that long. We sure as hell better hope not or we will be in a massive depression like the world has never seen most likely.

I was going to reply to this in the Joe Burrow thread, but it's probably better replied to in here. I hope this isn't too much of a downer. Context is everything:

https://www.gifng.com/wow/73953

That chart is now out of date, and that figure has, in fact, nearly tripled - cumulative applications for unemployment in the US were set to hit 17 million people as of Friday last week. (Source)

A "massive depression like the world has never seen" is unfortunately the new reality that we are now facing. If you don't believe me, just ask any of your friends in retail, manufacturing, or hospitality. The world has drastically changed, and for them especially, overnight.

I sure hope we get to keep sports during all of this - I would welcome any distraction. But the aftershocks of this are going to kick for years societally - even just based on the numbers alone.

This has not reached the levels of the great depression, not even close. Pure numbers aren't relevant, as there are simply more people now. Times are tough, but this isn't even close yet, and I don't expect it to be either.

[mild]

This has not reached the levels of the great depression, not even close. Pure numbers aren't relevant, as there are simply more people now. Times are tough, but this isn't even close yet, and I don't expect it to be either.

The Great Depression lasted the better part of a decade. At it's height, unemployment hit 25%.

You've just hit 13-15% unemployment, depending on whose data you want to believe. It's not even been 3 months. Predictions by JP Morgan Chase are suggesting it could hit 20% in this 2nd quarter.

That blip on the graph around 2008 lets you know how serious this is - it dwarfs it.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business ... 7-million/

It could well rebound quickly like this article is saying - if the Virus runs its course, or a vaccine is found. But those are all best-case scenarios. I would be hesitant about calling your shot early on this one.