Tuscaloosa mayor reveals how much money city could lose if no football is played
By Adam Spencer
Published:
The 2020 college football season faces many questions in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Players are at risk of contracting the virus, but the sport itself provides economic boosts to many college towns.
For an example, look at Tuscaloosa. Mayor Walt Maddox spoke to CBS 42 on Monday and detailed the economic impact no season would have.
Per Maddox, Tuscaloosa could lose approximately $2 billion without a season. He called the possibility “economically catastrophic”:
Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox said no football at all could result in approximately $2 billion in lost revenue. This comes as Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has questioned whether it could be possible for a football season to happen in the fall.
“It would be economically catastrophic for Tuscaloosa if there is no football season,” Maddox said. “Even a mitigated football season with restricted attendance and number of ball games would have dire economic consequences.”
As Maddox says, even if there are games with restricted attendance, that will have an impact on the city’s economy.
For now, the plan is still to play the 2020 season as originally scheduled. We’ll see if that continues to be the case moving forward.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
