Big Ten Officially Cancels 2020 Fall Sports Season

MICHIGAN — The Big Ten Conference has postponed its fall sports season, including all regular season contests and Big Ten championships and tournaments, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the conference announced Tuesday.

The official announcement comes after reports surfaced Monday that the league was going to cancel its fall sports season — at least for football — after university presidents voted 12-2 in favor of ending the season.

In a statement issued Tuesday, conference officials said the decision was made in the interest of university students, faculty and staff.

Related: Big Ten Votes To Cancel Fall Football Season: Reports

“The mental and physical health and welfare of our student-athletes has been at the center of every decision we have made regarding the ability to proceed forward,” said Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren. “As time progressed and after hours of discussion with our Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee, it became abundantly clear that there was too much uncertainty regarding potential medical risks to allow our student-athletes to compete this fall.

“We know how significant the student-athlete experience can be in shaping the future of the talented young women and men who compete in the Big Ten Conference. Although that knowledge made this a painstaking decision, it did not make it difficult. While I know our decision today will be disappointing in many ways for our thousands of student-athletes and their families, I am heartened and inspired by their resilience, their insightful and discerning thoughts, and their participation through our conversations to this point. Everyone associated with the Big Ten Conference and its member institutions is committed to getting everyone back to competition as soon as it is safe to do so.”

The sports included in the Big Ten's cancellations include men’s and women’s cross country, field hockey, football, men’s and women’s soccer, and women’s volleyball.

The conference said it will continue to evaluate a number of options regarding the sports, including the possibility of competition in the spring. Decisions regarding winter and spring sports will also continue to be evaluated.