Monday December 4, 2023

Keeping the Virus Out

  • The first few days have already seen delayed practices and positive tests.
  • If more positive tests arise after teams leave quarantine, the NCAA will use contact tracing data and review game footage to see if it may have spread.
Photo: Wisconsin Athletics/Design: Alex Brooks
Linkedin
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

The first few days have already seen delayed practices and positive tests. 

In all, seven people tested positive as of Wednesday morning, Gavitt said.

Georgia Tech was the first to announce that a member tested positive. The team member won’t be able to participate in this week’s activities.

Six officials have to leave the tournament after one tested positive, Gavitt said, confirming a Stadium report. The officials won’t be able to work games, and the NCAA is bringing in four referees who have been on standby.

Contact Tracing

Protocols have caught enough early positive tests that the bubble remains intact for now.

But what happens if the virus appears after teams leave quarantine? 

The NCAA will use contact tracing data and review game footage to figure out who else may need to be quarantined. 

Team personnel wear small contact tracing devices while they’re working out and playing games — something many teams have already done during the regular season. The devices blink red as a warning when wearers come within six feet of each other.

Athletes can wear them on their wrists, on lanyards around their necks, or in patches sewn into their jerseys, Kinexon executive vice president Jim Garofalo explained to FOS.

Limitations

Contact tracing and quarantining plans may only go so far toward keeping it from spreading.

In indoor arenas, players heavily breathe each others’ air for prolonged time in an enclosed space without any type of face covering.

That could be more important information than contact tracing devices can provide, Muhlenberg public health professor Kathleen Bachynski told FOS.

Linkedin
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

A lawsuit against the university of Oregon could dictate the future of Title IX and NIL.

New Lawsuit Could Decide Whether NIL Is Subject To Title IX

It's one of the biggest unanswered questions of the NIL era.
The College Football Playoff is considering rotating TV networks for the national championship game.

CFP Considers Super Bowl-Like Rotation For National Championship Game

Multiple networks could share rights to the championship game, sources told FOS.
Delaware receiver Kym Wimberly leaves St. Francis defenders behind as he turns a reception into a touchdown in the final minute of the first half at Delaware Stadium, Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.

Delaware to Pay $5M to Move to Conference USA, FBS

Delaware will be the first football program to pay the FBS $5M.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

CFP Selection Turns Heads with Controversial Selection

0:00
0:00

Featured Today

The future of the Pac-12 rests on a court decision.
November 24, 2023

The Pac-12 Plays Its Final Regular-Season Game. Then A Court Decides Its Fate.

The conference's future rests with a court decision.
Lane Kiffin
November 9, 2023

Ole Miss, Lane Kiffin Lawyers Argue for Dismissal of Player Lawsuit

FOS obtained audio of Lane Kiffin's interaction with the player behind lawsuit.
LSU Lady Tigers head coach Kim Mulkey reacts against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the NCAA Womens Basketball Final Four National Championship at American Airlines Center.
November 6, 2023

Who Is The Highest-Paid Women’s College Basketball Coach?

LSU rewarded Kim Mulkey after winning a national title after her second year leading the program.

Careers

Powered By

Careers in Sports

Looking for a new job? Check out these featured listings and search for openings all over the world.
Wasserman
Multiple - USA Careers
Live Nation
Multiple - USA Careers
Saco Bay PT
Multiple - USA Careers

After Unbeaten FSU’s Snub, Financial and Legal Fallout

FSU, ACC to take sizable revenue hit despite Seminoles' undefeated season.
December 1, 2023

TV Networks Are Programming College Football’s Future: What’s Next

Conference championship weekends will have a different feel in the future.
Sponsored

NHL’s Chris Foster on Amplifying Content Distribution With Automation

Learn how the NHL is using WSC Sports to increase fan engagement.
November 30, 2023

Power 4 Commissioners Split On Fate of Conference Title Games

Georgia and Alabama play in Saturday's SEC Championship Game.
Oregon State and Washington State appear to be making contingency plans to operate as a two-school conference while their lawsuit against the Pac-12 winds through state court.
November 28, 2023

Oregon State, Washington State Make Contingency Plan as Lawsuit Delayed

It will take at least another month for a court decision.
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh's comments on athlete compensation highlight the NCAA's hypocrisy.
November 27, 2023

Jim Harbaugh’s Athlete Compensation Comments Highlight NCAA Hypocrisy

Harbaugh can donate to athletic department employees, but not players.
November 26, 2023

Schools Owe Fired CFB Coaches A Record $118M In Buyouts (So Far)

Firings over the weekend broke a record for buyout figures.