Friday September 22, 2023
The Best Employers in Sports Survey is Now Open!

Ivy League Cancels Fall Sports Competitions

  • Ivy League becomes first college conference to cancel fall sports.
  • The league won't contemplate athletic competitions until Jan. 1, 2021.
Yale Harvard football
Photo Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Front Office Sports Today

How Rupert Murdoch Changed Sports Media Forever

As he steps down as chair of Fox and News Corp., we discuss his monumental and ongoing impact.
Listen Now
September 22, 2023 | Podcast
Linkedin
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied
Yale Harvard football
Photo Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

The Ivy League has canceled sports competitions in the fall as the coronavirus pandemic continues. The league reportedly won’t entertain starting any sports until after January 1, 2021 – which means basketball won’t start as scheduled, if at all.

“With the safety and well-being of students as their highest priority, Ivy League institutions are implementing campus-wide policies including restrictions on student and staff travel, requirements for social distancing, limits on group gatherings, and regulations for visitors to campus,” the conference said in a release. “As athletics is expected to operate consistent with campus policies, it will not be possible for Ivy League teams to participate in intercollegiate athletics competition prior to the end of the fall semester.”

The conference will allow practice and other athletic training for enrolled students, given those activities are structured to meet school and state regulations.

On March 10, the Ivy League became the first conference to cancel its postseason basketball tournament, setting off a domino effect that ultimately concluded with the cancellation of the NCAA Tournament. It was also the first Division-1 conference to cancel its spring sports calendar.

Plenty of eyes were watching to see what the Ivy League planned to do with the football season, but whether a similar trend follows is yet to be seen. The Ivy League isn’t in the Football Bowl Subdivision and lacks the millions of dollars brought in with ticket sales and TV rights that could incentive major programs and conferences to play.

“We all pay attention to it, just to see what’s out there, but I think their model is a little different than our model when it comes to football,” West Virginia athletic director Shane Lyons, who also is the chair of the NCAA Division I Football Oversight Committee, told ESPN “Is it definitely going to impact what we do? As a whole, not necessarily. We have to look at what we’re doing with testing and protocols and the safety and well-being of our student-athletes, making sure we’re doing the right thing from that aspect of it, to see if we can fill any type of season.”

Several Power 5 conference officials told The Athletic that the week of July 13 would be a crucial point in the decision making process and that school presidents were wary of being the first to pull the plug. There have already been several game cancellations, including games involving Historically Black Colleges and Universities and the Patriot League.

The Ivy League said it would decide on the remaining winter and spring sports competition calendar, as well as if fall sports would be feasible in the spring, at a later date.

Ivy League teams also generally field more sports than other NCAA Division I schools. Harvard fields 40 varsity sports, while Columbia’s 29 is the fewest offered at an Ivy League School. Several schools in the conference have previously announced plans to reduce the number of students on campus during the fall. Princeton plans to only have freshmen and juniors allowed on campus in the fall, while sophomore and seniors would be allowed in the spring. On July 6, Harvard said that it would only invite around 40% of the student body back to campus this fall while all learning would be done remotely.

Linkedin
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is tripped up by New York Jets defensive end Solomon Thomas in the second quarter at AT&T Stadium.

NFL Viewership Sees 2% Increase in First Two Weeks of 2023 Season

The NFL is experiencing its highest viewership since 2018.
Renderings of the University of Virginia's new proposed athletic facilities.

Virginia Joins The College Facilities Arms Race

UVA plans to upgrade football and Olympic sports facilities.
Sponsored

How Daktronics Helps Elite Athletic Programs Secure Top Talent

How colleges are utilizing Daktronics' displays to elevate recruiting.
Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker speaks at post game press conference after 31-7 win over Central Michigan at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.

Mel Tucker Firing Would Prevent $80M Buyout on Historic Contract

Tucker was suspended after a report of alleged sexual harassment.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

How Rupert Murdoch Changed Sports Media Forever

0:00
0:00

Featured Today

Warriors Stake Reportedly Up For Sale at $7B Valuation

A 10% stake in the franchise could cost $700 million.
September 22, 2023

Jaguars Threaten Move Without $1B From Jacksonville Taxpayers

The Jagaurs are hoping to renovate TIAA Bank Field for $2 billion.
Deion Sanders on College GameDay
September 22, 2023

ESPN Beats Rival Fox in Deion Sanders Bowl

ESPN’s “College GameDay” more than doubled the audience of Fox’s “Big Noon Kickoff” in Boulder.
Stacy Lewis tees off on the seventeenth hole during the first round of the CPKC Women's Open golf tournament at Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club.
September 22, 2023

In Ryder Cup’s Shadow, Solheim Cup Captain Laments ‘Missed Opportunity’

U.S. captain Stacy Lewis criticized the lack of cross-promotion and marketing.

Careers

Powered By

Careers in Sports

Looking for a new job? Check out these featured listings and search for openings all over the world.
Chicago Cubs
Chicago
Fanatics
New York
Tri Star Sports and Entertainment Group, Inc.
USA - Multiple Locations
Big-12

Texas, Oklahoma's Big 12 Exit Could Have Cost $60M More

The school's move to the SEC is costing about $100 million.
Tickets for Colorado’s upcoming road game against Oregon are more expensive than 14 of 16 Week 3 NFL matchups.
September 20, 2023

Deion Sanders' Impact Makes Tickets Pricier Than NFL Games

Colorado-Oregon tickets are pricier than most Week 3 NFL matchups.
SMU has raised $100 million from donors before it forgoes media rights payments for the first nine years of its ACC tenure.
September 18, 2023

SMU Raises $100M for ACC Move as Basketball, Football Sales Surge

SMU has raised $100 million ahead of its 2024 move to the ACC.
September 17, 2023

Coach Prime, Unbeaten Colorado Keep Larger-Than-Life Hype Going

Boulder was the epicenter of college football over the weekend.
September 17, 2023

Learfield Recapitalization Extends Private Equity Presence In College Sports

Deal advances private equity's presence in college sports
September 14, 2023

Dartmouth Men’s Basketball Players File Petition to Unionize

There are two other similar NLRB cases pending.
Michigan State coach Mel Tucker looks on after a touchdown against Central Michigan during the second half at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.
September 12, 2023

Michigan State Coach Denies Allegations Amid Unpaid Suspension

In his rebuttal, Mel Tucker called an upcoming hearing a “sham.”
Pac-12
September 11, 2023

Washington State, Oregon State Take Small Step Toward Saving the Pac-12

A small victory for the two remaining schools in the conference.