Report: College football cancellations could cost universities $4 billion

It's becoming clear why so many are determined for the NCAA to hold a college football season this fall amid the coronavirus pandemic.

On Thursday, ESPN's Mark Schlabach and Paula Lavigne reported that Power 5 university athletic programs could lose up to $4 billion if the pandemic forces the cancellation of the 2020 season that is set to begin in late August.

As noted by the ESPN story, some schools proactively responded to how the pandemic will affect football and other fall sports: 

"The Mid-American Conference announced multiple scheduling changes, including plans to eliminate conference tournaments in eight sports; Cincinnati dropped its men's soccer program; Old Dominion cut its wrestling program; Furman shut down baseball and men's lacrosse; Bowling Green cut baseball; Central Michigan terminated men's track and field; and Akron announced it is eliminating men's cross country, men's golf and women's tennis." ... 

"Athletic directors also are refunding tickets for spring sports and student fees for the spring semester while instituting hiring freezes, layoffs, mandatory furloughs and pay cuts, even for their most high-profile coaches. More than 20 FBS athletic departments, including Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Louisville, Minnesota, USC and Washington State, have announced voluntary pay cuts and/or mandatory furloughs for coaches and athletic staffers."

TCU athletic director Jeremiah Donati told ESPN additional measures will be necessary if conferences or the NCAA deems that student-athletes playing football during the uncontrolled virus outbreak isn't safe. 

"There would have to be massive cut-backs. Could the department go on? Sure. It would probably look smaller. There would potentially be fewer sports and much less programming."

During the heights of a standard college football season, live games air on national stations and local affiliates for more than 12 hours each Saturday. 

On Wednesday, Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith told reporters he's hopeful up to 20,000 to 50,000 spectators could attend Buckeyes home games this fall "if guidelines are relaxed."