Challenges to the return of college sports

College sports are looking to return to competition this fall. But there are a number of circumstances that are complicating the return of collegiate athletics, notably football. Many colleges are under financial pressure to restart football in spite of worries that their unpaid players could become infected with the coronavirus. Football is a major money-maker that supports other college sports programs – and big salaries for coaches and league officials. It also generates big profits for sports broadcasters.

Class discussion: Should colleges restart their football programs during the covid-19 pandemic? Have colleges become addicted to the big money they get from sports like football and basketball? Should coaches and league officials get multii-million-dollar salaries when student-athletes are barred from getting any pay? Should student-athletes lose their scholarships if their teams are unable to play because of the coronavirus? What if they refuse to play because of the pandemic? Should colleges holding remote classes still expect their athletes to compete?