What motivated the Big Ten shutting football down?

I don't think the article makes the case you suggest that...

... it makes. And note that the Commissioner points out these initiatives were in his interview materials in April 2019.

That they were in his April 2019 interview material doesn't

diminish the point at all. BTW, if the theory is correct, this isn't just -- or even mostly -- about Kevin Warren. He wasn't the one making the decisions here. But I'd venture a guess -- based on the Thamel article -- that he and his bosses, the university presidents, don't disagree in the effect they'd like to see cancelling the season have.

Lawsuits. Lawyers probably advised them that they could

be liable for billions in jury awards, and they didnt want
to take s chance.

University Pres. to GC: Can you guarantee me 0 liability if

we play football? [COVID-related liability]

GC: Nope

University Pres.: Got it. Done. No football.

And that was the end of it. No room or time for a political conspiracy.

I'm not seeing the connection between encouraging the

athletes to vote and the desire to postpone the fall season. I could see other reasons to shut the season down (keep the kids and staff safe, fear of litigation, and so on).

You really don't see it, or you're being coy? Warren made

his political interests manifest, and now the season is on hiatus with Joe Biden running ads about it blaming Trump? And the connection escapes you?

No matter how much any league hates Trump.

They love money more. Conspiracy nonsense.

Then they would be playing, just as they have returned

students to campus.

Could it be that keeping the institution afloat

via tuition is more important than the football revenue they're losing? This isn't a big conspiracy. When everyone in the thread disagrees with your take, the issue lies with you.

Honestly, I didn't see it but maybe 9 of 10 here did. *

That’s a stretch. Every league has a voting initiative right

now, with race and social justice being a big issue.

If materially true, curious that Thamel didn't mention that

in the article.

1) It is true.

2) I'm not sure why it's curious. The article, published three weeks after the death of George Floyd, was obviously about Kevin Warren, who Thamel describes as "arguably the most influential and powerful minority in all of college athletics." So it makes sense the focus of the article was on him and what he's doing in the Big Ten.
3) Here are what other leagues are doing for voting initiatives and race and social justice:
a) Pac-12
b) Big 12
c) SEC
d) ACC
e) Big East 1
f) Big East 2
g) AAC
h) MWC

And so on. These initiatives are completely independent of and have no effect on conferences' decisions whether or not to play this fall. There is no conspiracy here.

I disagree. Just looking at the ACC, SEC, and Big XII, the

ACC and SEC sent out press releases (and the SEC's was just 10 days ago) announcing "committees." Please. As for the Big XII, what you linked -- while it is more in line with what Thamel was touting on Warren's behalf -- it isn't the Big XII at all. It's two professors (I assume) from two of the institutions who set up a non-profit in D.C. (scroll to the bottom of the link you provided). That's not Bob Bowlsby or the Big XII itself.

Go back, read the headline ("Can the Big Ten swing a presidential election"), and read the article Thamel wrote on behalf of Warren. And really ask yourself if that's the same thing as what the ACC and SEC sent out press releases for.

I don't know what to tell you then.

You're looking for something that simply isn't there.

All these race and social justice/voting initiatives are being driven by the Division I SAAC down to the conference and school level. That group is the reason why Election Day will be an off-day for student-athletes this year (a few small kinks still need to be worked out on that one). The bulk of their summer meeting was spent on civic engagement, with almost no time spent on how the pandemic might affect the fall sports season. They just held another meeting recently where they went more into voting initiatives. Race, social justice, and voting is student-athlete driven, with administrators simply providing the outlet.

The Big Ten (or any conference for that matter) did not cancel the fall season and jeopardize tens of millions of dollars per school as a political stunt. You have absolutely no clue what's been going on in these discussions between Presidents, Athletic Directors, coaches, and student-athletes. Yes there were Plans B, C, D, E, F and so on being made through the summer, but the pandemic is not where college athletics wants it to be right now. No conference is sure if they're making the right decision right now, but they're making decisions the best they can. The amount of time, energy, and sacrifice (personal and financial) that has been spent is real.

There is no conspiracy. Warren did not shut down the league because he likes Trump.

Your last sentence suggests you didn't even understand the

connection.

Your posts suggest you've made up your mind

and are fine shouting down anyone that disagrees with you in the slightest.

Excellent post. *