re: It’s all about money it’s not player heath

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It can be about two things ya know. Player health is tied to liability thus money anyway.

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Bingo, I agree, college football while the same sport as NFL and yes MLB is playing, those are "jobs" and under US. Labor law, those Players unions through collective bargaining negotiated their playing conditions and wages to play under COVID and Management (Owners signed off). No different than when the economy was on lock down, certain businesses if they wanted to open could stay open, trucking companies and truckers to move supplies, grocery stores, restaraunts (takeout) Drug stores, hospitals, gas stations, car repair shops, Vets were allowed to stay open. So those business owners could choose to work under what conditions they wanted.

College football players are still under NCAA student athletes and amateurs. They get a scholarship and grant and aide to go to school to obtain a degree, sports is the means that gave them the opportunity. So college players can't negotiate terms of playing as they are not employees of the University. Period. The moment that happens, a HS player then they can't receive a scholarship (Pell or Grant and aide) to obtain a degree.

I think the Big10 and Pac 12 University Presidents, in consultation with legal and medical staff and Governors ran simulations. What is the finanical impact of not playing (lost TV, ticket, concession, merchandise revenue) vs. playing and having some players get health issues 10 years down the line and then what is the amount of potential lawsuit in Billions with a B dollars and probability of losing said lawsuit. I think those conferences were more risk averse and said no go based on the economics.

So 2 options, the Big10 and Pac12 said play, and the players under NCAA are amateurs can't negotiate working terms, something happens and lawsuits follow. You allow them to do what the Pac12 players a few weeks ago were calling for, form a players union, then they are employees and defacto no longer student athletes. So under the notion that the players are not employees, they are scholarship student-athletes, Big10 and Pac12 saw the financial risk as to great and cancelled.

What is the risk aversion of the states SEC/ACC/Big12 footprint, we will see.