FBS athletic directors surveyed on status of college football season

April 2, 2020 / Athletic AdministrationFootball
Spring sports have already been put on hold indefinitely across the country amid the coronavirus outbreak, but now many Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) athletic directors are wondering if the college football season will be in jeopardy too.

In a new survey conducted by Stadium, nearly one-fifth of the 112 athletic directors polled believe the 2020 college football season won’t be played in its entirety.

survey, college football, athletic directors, covid-19
Photo: David Moore / Creative Commons

The survey asked ADs to anonymously rank their optimism on the football season being played on a scale of 1-10, with one meaning a season won’t be played and 10 meaning it definitely will be played.

None of the ADs gave an answer lower than “5”, which represents a 50/50 chance there is no season. According to the story, several ADs admitted to giving a higher score in an attempt to remain positive.

“I’m optimistic we’ll have a season,” one Power 5 athletic director told Stadium. “But, ask me against in May what I think.”

Most polled responded with a “7” — accounting for 27 percent of ADs. The next highest response was an “8” with 24 percent of the vote.

» RELATED: 2019 survey of international high school athletic directors 

Stadium found that athletic directors from Power Five conferences (ACC, Big 12, Big 10, Pac-12 and SEC plus Notre Dame) were less optimistic than their peers from the Group of Five conferences.

Nearly every athletic director, however, expressed their uncertainty in when the coronavirus pandemic would die down and life would return to normal.

“There is still so much to be assessed over the next several months,” one AD told Stadium. “Concerns with finances, adequate practice for teams, potential looming restrictions in regard to travel to certain states, TV scheduling, the uncertainty of what the stadiums will be — what will be the fans’ perspective of sitting so close to another?”

To see all the results of the poll conducted by Stadium and to read the full story, click here