The Atlantic Coast Conference or the ACC is one of the most awaited sports events each year and many have been wondering whether this will still push through despite the on-going health crisis that the world or many countries are dealing with.
Many sports events worldwide have been canceled or postponed like the English Premier League, the NBA, and the NCAA. The NCAA is even completely canceled and will not have any event for this year. This is why many sports fans who would place their bets on their favorite teams on apps like the sportingbet mobile app are saddened with this. However, for the ACC fans, things appear to be different.
The ACC postseason tournaments started early in March but were eventually canceled because of the threats that the 2019 coronavirus carries. Now, on a recent interview with ACC Commissioner John Swofford, he talked about how the football conference may start normally this season.
However, Swofford still said that the league has still come up with bac-up plans in case things get worst. Swofford said, “We’re going into this year with the anticipation of playing at this point. “Most of our institutions are indicating that they intend to open in various fashions as we go into the fall, but there is a lot that can happen between now and then.”
Swofford talked about how they, the league, will need to nimble over the next few months. They need to base their decisions on the latest updates and available data concerning the circumstances of each state and municipality.
Swofford said that football games will likely be played if classes resume and students will be allowed to return to the classrooms by fall.
The ACC has formed a Covid-19 advisory group that is led by Dr. Cameron Wolfe. Dr. Wolfe is a professor in the division of infectious diseases at Duke. He is joined by 15 other people from the different ACC schools.
Swofford explained this committee’s importance in making decisions about the next football season. He said, “We feel like they can be a tremendous asset to us in making decisions on when to play and under what circumstances," Swofford said, "and what protocols will be important as we move forward.”
Swofford also talked about how he’s communicated with the commissioner of the NFL, Roger Goodell. They talked about the return of general football and Swofford said that the NFL has more concrete plans in terms of testing the players, bringing them back into practice facilities, and whether the matches will happen behind closed doors or not.
When asked about testing the players, Swofford said this, “I think testing is going to be critical for us to be back to play. One of the things colleges can look at is whatever happens with the professional leagues this summer, whether it’s the NBA or Major League Baseball or the NFL. The A5 commissioners were on a lengthy call with the NFL last week with Commissioner Goodell. We may benefit from certain things that are done even before the NFL gets back to camp and plays under whatever circumstances they might plan in. I do think that testing is going to be critical for our ability to get back and bring our student-athletes back.”
He said that they are hoping for the ACC athletes to be tested the same way. Swofford said, “I hope so. A lot of this will come from the medical community and the group we put together. I think there will be a great deal of comfort if you know the people you’re competing against are following the same or very similar protocols in terms of the health and safety issues daily as well as on a game day. That would be the goal if we could get to that point.”
He was also asked about all the ACC teams playing at the same time. People are wondering if they will be doing this or still have the games start at different times. Swofford still had a hard time answering this and said, “It’s hard to say right now. We’re in 10 states and the states have a great deal to say as to whether games can be played and under what circumstances. Obviously, the hope is that all 15 of our schools, that everybody can be on the same page but there are a lot of decision-makers in this beyond athletics, so it’s complicated. You’re going to have medical people, and science, and governors and what’s allowed in states and college presidents and their boards in terms of reopening campuses.”
