KALAMAZOO, MI (WTVB) – Watchstadium.com is reporting the Mid American Conference, which includes Western Michigan University, Central Michigan University, and Eastern Michigan University, is cancelling its 2020 football season amid coronavirus concerns.
The 12-member MAC is the first Subdivision (FBS) conference opting not to play this fall. On Wednesday, UConn, an independent, became the first FBS school to announce it would not play this year. The MAC intends to try to play in the spring, sources said.
The MAC reached its decision Saturday morning in a vote by the league’s presidents, sources said.
The conference presidents initially met Thursday to finalize the league’s scheduling format. However, Northern Illinois president Lisa Freeman, a former research scientist at the University of Rochester School of Medicine, indicated her school would not play this fall because of the health and safety concerns, sources said.
Besides the health and safety concerns, the MAC was one of the leagues most impacted financially by the Power Five’s decision to eliminate or reduce non-conference games. The MAC had 11 games canceled against Big Ten members, costing MAC schools a combined $10.5 million. Bowling Green State lost $2.2 million, Central Michigan lost $2.15 million, Kent State lost $1.5 million and NIU lost $1.1 million.
After the Big Ten announced its conference-only format last month, Bowling Green State athletic director Bob Moosbrugger called the decision “the tip of the iceberg.
Several smaller Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) conferences also have canceled their fall football seasons. The NCAA announced Wednesday all Division II and III fall sports championships would be canceled.
