The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference has suspended its spring football season which was scheduled to begin on February 20th through April 17th.
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Six of the conference’s nine-football playing institutions opted out of the spring 2021 season. As we all know this is a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic which has wreaked havoc on the entire country and caused everything to be modified, slowed down or completely stopped in some instances.
Conference policy has always stated that if 50% or more institutions cannot participate in the championship, the championship for that particular sport will be suspended. As a direct result of this announcement, the MEAC is allowing each institution to do what they feel is best for their student-athletes and university community as a whole.
Several MEAC schools are still gonna give it a go this spring season.
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Those institutions are Delaware State, Larry Scott‘s Howard program, and South Carolina State thus far.
They’ll be required to follow the ongoing protocols they’ve outlined at their schools. Those protocols must align with the CDC guidelines and the NCAA’s health and safety provisions that have guided collegiate athletics throughout the academic year.
While it is tremendously disappointing to suspend the 2021 spring season, it is without a doubt the right decision with regards to the health and well-being of our student-athletes, coaches, staff and fans,” MEAC Commissioner Dennis E. Thomas stated. He goes on to also say the following, “As I’ve stated since the beginning of this unprecedented time, health and safety takes precedence over every other decision. But we do support those institutions who are gonna give it a go and play.
The Rattlers of Florida A&M announced they would opt-out of football last fall, and they were joined by Bethune-Cookman. North Carolina Central made its intentions to opt-out known last month.
The Norfolk State Spartans opted-out earlier this week. The Aggies of North Carolina A&T and Bears of Morgan State are very much on-board with playing along with the other three schools mentioned earlier in the article.
The MEAC as a conference will begin moving forward with plans for a fall 2021 season.
