This week, the Mid-American Conference announced it was changing its postseason for all of its sports in the 2020-21 academic year to stem the financial fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. The swimming and diving championships will now be three days, as opposed to the four-day meet that was started in 2015 with the 200 medley and 800 free relays on Wednesday night.
Akron won the women’s swimming and diving championships for the Mid-American Conference in 2020 while Missouri State won the men’s competition.
The coronavirus cancellations have had negative effects economically all over the United States. According to ESPN, several commissioners have discussed reducing scheduling and cutting back on travel but the Mid-American Conference is thus far the first league to formally make those changes. No changes have been made to the MAC Football Championship game, but men’s and women’s basketball will play 20-game conference schedules and conference tournaments for field hockey, soccer, tennis, lacrosse, tennis, softball and baseball have been cancelled.
The volleyball conference tournament will now only consist of four teams, while both indoor and outdoor track and field will be a two-day championship meet. The men’s and women’s golf championships will be a two-day event, and the men’s and women’s basketball tournament will now only consist of eight teams, with the opening round campus site games having been eliminated.
The financial plan covers the next four sports seasons but offers the ability to be re-evaluated as the economic situation stabilizes.
Beats losing the champs meet, period. Just longer days.