The Big Ten are several domes as venues for a possible winter football season of 2021, as the Columbus Dispatch learned.
Amanda Babb, president of the Ohio State Football Parents Group, said in an interview Wednesday that she had heard that indoor stadiums were being considered in Indianapolis, St. Louis, Detroit, Minneapolis and, in all likelihood, syracuse, New York.
Later Wednesday, Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith showed this, texting “Yes and Others” when asked about those sites. He refused to upload details.
Big Ten announced on August 11 that it would not do fall sports because of the coronavirus pandemic. The convention said it would be the option of a season in early 2021, although it did not provide any details.
In an August 19 statement, Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren said a race would be formed for a winter/spring season. It included the new president of the state of Ohio, Dr. Kristina Johnson.
Ohio State coach Ryan Day has been a staunch supporter of a winter replacement season that begins in early January, which began in the spring. The later the season, the less time will elapse between the season and the normal fall season.
The NFL draft is scheduled for April and more sensitive professional customers are likely to decide to prepare for the draft instead of playing a spring school season.
Playing in the domes would be one of the major disruptions similar to the winter season, especially in northerners and in top Northern Big Ten schools, such as Minnesota and Wisconsin.
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