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Nebraska AD Bill Moos expresses concerns about fan interest for B1G spring season
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Right now, the B1G really has no other option — it’s play football in the spring or don’t play at all. With the conference postponing fall sports and the football season, it has set it sights on trying to put together a schedule for the spring.
While some coaches have been adamant about having some sort of season in the spring, Nebraska athletic director Bill Moos has some concerns regarding fan interest. It primarily stems from the potential that the ACC, Big 12 and SEC move forward with a fall schedule.
“And now we’re supposed to come in and keep them excited,” Moos said, according to Sam McKewon of the Omaha World-Herald. “I don’t know if that’s possible. But the players can play and the coaches can coach. That part is good.”
But Moos is also concerned about the idea of playing winter and spring football in domed stadiums, primarily without fans.
“The NBA is playing in a nontraditional season, in a bubble, with no fans,” Moos said. “And to date, nobody cares. Their TV ratings are terrible.
While the idea has been floated out that the B1G is working on a plan to play football in January, Moos said there are a lot of moving parts. Penn State AD Sandy Barbour said earlier this week that she expected a plan, or at least a framework, to be released sometime soon.
Moos said it may not come until mid-September. Still, there’s a lot of diligent work going on behind the scenes to plan for a spring season.
“The milk has been spilled, and it can’t go back in the carton,” Moos said. “There won’t be fall football. Now what can we do? When can we play? How many games? Who do we play? Where do we play? That’s occupying all of our time.”
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB