Interview with HBCU Sports at www.hbcusports.com, April 2, 2020
The current coronavirus global pandemic has uniquely impacted both professional and college sports in such a drastic way that there is growing uncertainty when games will return during the 2020 calendar year.
Appearing as a guest on the HBCU Sports Podcast Wednesday, SWAC Commissioner Charles McClelland told host Kenn Rashad there is concern whether sports, including the upcoming football season, will be played at all.
“I’m concerned the public is still going to have some issues in September going to these massive football games,” said McClelland. “With all tragedies, you learn a lot of lessons. The growing concern for us is going to be whether we start football time or have a football season, which can exacerbate the situation we currently have. This thing is serious, and I can tell you no one is going to put the health or welfare of anybody to make sure we get things started on time.”
Added McClelland: “My crystal ball is foggy.”
McClelland discussed the events that led to the cancellation of the conference’s basketball tournament, the spring sports season as well as the NCAA’s decision to cancel its signature basketball event as public concerns regarding the coronavirus grew.
“The Rudy Gobert positive test changed the tone,” he said. “We were doing everything to get the tournament in but we needed to shift our thinking. It was the right thing to do. We don’t want anyone to die because we want to have a basketball tournament. Clearly, time has shown we have not jumped the gun. It was very clear we were not going to be able to piecemeal this as usual.”