[donkey687]

FWIW - I don't think the game of football is the concern.   I don't think the football practices are the concern.  The NHL, MLS, the NBA Bubble and the WNBA "Wubble" are proving that the bubble model works.  

I think the problem for colleges has always been the travel coupled with mixing of different geographic communities.

Home and visitor style competitions bring different communities together and exposes the visiting athletes to a full range of COVID risks associated with travel.  (Bus operators to airport, home town airport, airplane, visiting town airport, bus operators in visiting town, hotel, meals, stadium staff, visiting team, and TV coverage team)

So the question is not really would the player be safer at home or on campus.   I think for a lot of the student-athletes (but not all) the campus environment could be safer.    The question becomes is a student-athlete that follows health related guidelines in their home town safer there than in a sport with multiple road trips.  

Also, I know a lot of coaches are willing to take the risk of interacting with the players, but there are other college staff members that don't quite get a vote here.   I am talking about the "essential workers", the grounds crews, the stadium and facility maintenance members and janitors, the food service staff, etc. etc.   For all of them the risk of acquiring COVID is significantly greater if games are played.    Don't believe me?   Just ask the stadium staff for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Based on what I have read one of the most significant issues relates to liability.  Schools want players to waive their rights as they relate to liability.  Players want to retain those rights.  No agreement; no games.

Then no games. Shame on schools for seeking that waiver.

I can understand why the colleges are asking for them and I can understand why players don't like them. It is a tricky issue. The college says there is risk in playing so we are giving you the option to play or not and will cover your scholarship if you choose not to play. If the player says, I am willing to take that risk, shouldn't the risk fall on them not the university that gave them the option to opt-out? I don't think it is shameful to be asking for them. I think it is prudent. If a player doesn't want to sign the waiver and doesn't want to play, that is a valid option and position to hold. Don't sign. Don't play. You can't have it both ways.

[donkey687]

FWIW - I don't think the game of football is the concern.   I don't think the football practices are the concern.  The NHL, MLS, the NBA Bubble and the WNBA "Wubble" are proving that the bubble model works.  

I think the problem for colleges has always been the travel coupled with mixing of different geographic communities.

Home and visitor style competitions bring different communities together and exposes the visiting athletes to a full range of COVID risks associated with travel.  (Bus operators to airport, home town airport, airplane, visiting town airport, bus operators in visiting town, hotel, meals, stadium staff, visiting team, and TV coverage team)

So the question is not really would the player be safer at home or on campus.   I think for a lot of the student-athletes (but not all) the campus environment could be safer.    The question becomes is a student-athlete that follows health related guidelines in their home town safer there than in a sport with multiple road trips.  

Also, I know a lot of coaches are willing to take the risk of interacting with the players, but there are other college staff members that don't quite get a vote here.   I am talking about the "essential workers", the grounds crews, the stadium and facility maintenance members and janitors, the food service staff, etc. etc.   For all of them the risk of acquiring COVID is significantly greater if games are played.    Don't believe me?   Just ask the stadium staff for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Based on what I have read one of the most significant issues relates to liability.  Schools want players to waive their rights as they relate to liability.  Players want to retain those rights.  No agreement; no games.

Then no games. Shame on schools for seeking that waiver.

I can understand why the colleges are asking for them and I can understand why players don't like them. It is a tricky issue. The college says there is risk in playing so we are giving you the option to play or not and will cover your scholarship if you choose not to play. If the player says, I am willing to take that risk, shouldn't the risk fall on them not the university that gave them the option to opt-out? I don't think it is shameful to be asking for them. I think it is prudent. If a player doesn't want to sign the waiver and doesn't want to play, that is a valid option and position to hold. Don't sign. Don't play. You can't have it both ways.