AKRON, Ohio — Although the Mid-American Conference (MAC) has officially canceled all fall sports because of the pandemic, Tom Arth, the University of Akron football head coach, said he’s happy a decision has finally been made.

What You Need To Know

  • The MAC announced Saturday that it's canceling the 2020 season for all fall sports

  • University of Akron head football coach Tom Arth said he's happy a decision has been made

  • Not only does the decision affect teams, but also local businesses

“In some ways, there is peace in just knowing what the decision is—that we are not going to be playing this fall with the hopes of being able to play this spring,” Arth said.

The announcement Saturday follows months of uncertainty, leading teams to create a plan B, a plan C, and so on and so forth.

Arth said many Akron Zips players are disappointed about the final result, but overall, they handled the news well.

“(Having) to tell them that we are not going to be able this fall certainly was not easy, but I was incredibly proud of the way our team responded,” Arth said.

Not only does the decision affect the teams involved, but it also impacts local businesses.

Courtney Shook, the general manager of the Score Draft Room across the street from the Zips stadium, said she’s worried her business won’t be able to stay afloat now that football is canceled.

“We are always the tailgate spot before the games,” said Shook. “Now, it’s looking like we are going to have to find another way to get people in here to keep business going.”

The MAC is the first Division I conference to cancel its 2020 season. More than 2,500 Ohio student athletes are affected by the decision, but multiple schools have said they will honor student athlete scholarships.