The Big West Conference Board of Directors announced Monday they would not make a final decision on the fate of fall sports at this time, as they worried it would be premature.

Instead, the athletic conference released a plan for the phasing-in of fall sports that are within Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, NCAA, state, local and campus guidelines.

“We do not need to make that decision today, this week, or even this month,” the board said in a statement. “Instead, we have time for our health experts to continue the work that will both inform and empower us to make a better evidence-based decision when the game clock of our Fall season truly is nearing zero.”

In addition to other measures, the board requires all facilities and equipment to be sanitized after each use. The conference also mandated the CDC recommendation of physical distancing at all times and encouraged communication and training sessions to remain virtual whenever possible.

Once the measures are in place, the conference said they will support the phasing-in of sports on a campus-specific scale. The phasing-in steps would bring key staff, coaches and administrators back on campus, followed by student-athletes.
“We are hopeful for Fall competitions,” the board said. “But we are cautious.”

The board announced they will issue an update about the status of the fall sports season by July 20.

Editor’s Note June 20 12:32 p.m.: Featured image changed to represent a fall sport.