USC Beat Writer Lays Out Potential Salt Lake Bubble For Pac-12 Football

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – It has long been assumed that the concept of a “bubble” would not work in the college athletic world, however, the conversation continues to headline potential moves that the Pac-12 could make, as first proposed by the Trojans Wire.

How can the Pac-12 play football? Give athletes hazard pay and health care… and send them to Salt Lake City https://t.co/QzlLRyiiRj

— USC Trojans Wire (@TrojansWire) September 16, 2020

Larry Scott, the Pac-12 Commissioner, is dealing with a number of obstacles in attempting to bring fall sports back before the start of the new year. Specifically, now that the Big 10, the only other power five conference who postponed fall sports in 2020, has recently released its plan to begin the football season as soon as October.

The other big hurdle for Scott is that the California and Oregon Governors are yet to allow college athletes and their respective teams to practice due to the coronavirus pandemic that still continues to disturb those states.

Recent wildfires in Oregon, northern California and Colorado are now playing a role in the future of the conference as the air quality across most of the Western United States is at dangerous levels.

SLC Bubble

The issues facing the Pac-12 Conference is certainly causing headaches for the powers that be, however, Trojans Wire has a solution and their answer lies on Salt Lake City soil.

Create a bubble-like atmosphere in Salt Lake City for all Pac-12 teams.

The air quality in Utah is manageable. Salt Lake City and it’s surrounding suburbs offer enough hotels to fill every Pac-12 team and there are numerous high school football fields that could accommodate the Pac-12’s needs.

Furthermore, Rice Eccles Stadium and Rio Tinto Stadium are two stadiums that could comfortably accommodate enough games for the Pac-12 to put a season together. However, with Real Salt Lake, Utah’s Major League Soccer team, currently competing at Rio Tinto Stadium there would need to be some sort of agreement between MLS and the Pac-12 Conference for Rio Tinto Stadium to be used.

“Provided that players can be given added protections and benefits, a bubble plan in Salt Lake City makes as much sense as any other plan I can think of for the Pac-12 and its football season this fall,” Matt Zemek, the author of the Trojans Wire article, states.