(WXYZ) — Parents of Michigan football players are leading a protest Saturday outside of the university's stadium against the Big Ten.
The protest is in support of allowing players to get back on the field after the Big Ten and several other Division 1 FBS conferences decided to postpone the college football season back in August due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
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The parent-ran Twitter accountwelcomes "players, parents, coaches, students, and fans" to participate in the #LetThemPlayNOW protest.
Jim Harbaugh is in attendance. pic.twitter.com/7cZkVnaylJ
— Zach Shaw (@_ZachShaw) September 5, 2020
Trump tweeted Tuesday that he had spoken with Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren about reinstating the fall season.
Had a very productive conversation with Kevin Warren, Commissioner of the Big Ten Conference, about immediately starting up Big Ten football. Would be good (great!) for everyone - Players, Fans, Country. On the one yard line!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 1, 2020
“Had a very productive conversation with Kevin Warren, Commissioner of the Big Ten Conference, about immediately starting up Big Ten football,” the tweet said. “Would be good (great!) for everyone - Players, Fans, Country. On the one yard line!”
The Big Ten, in a statement, said a White House representative reached out to Warren to set up a phone call with Trump. The statement said Warren and Trump had a “productive conversation.”
“The Big Ten Conference and its Return To Competition Task Force, on behald of the Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors (COP/C), are exhausting every resource to help student-athletes get back to playing the sports they love, at the appropriate time, in the safest and healthiest way possible,” the statement said.
The Big Ten announced Aug. 11 it would move its football season to the spring semester because of health risks associated with the pandemic. The Pac-12 followed suit, joining the Mid-American Conference and the Mountain West. Other leagues are playing shortened seasons.
