Power 5 commissioners propose time rule changes for athletes

The commissioners of the Power Five conferences are proposing some changes to the rules that govern the time demands of athletes.

The changes include adjustments to postseason schedules, overnight free time and in-season free time. Part of the changes are called “Flex 21” in a nod that the proposals would give athletes 21 more days off.

You’ll notice in the top right that travel days may no longer count as off days. Currently, a team could be “off” on a Friday it travels to an opponent’s campus for a Saturday game.

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“We heard from our students that they would like more certainty in their schedules in order to engage in other activities,” a joint statement from the commissioners said. “We recognize there will need to be a level of flexibility and reasonableness in carrying out these changes, especially with regard to travel, but students deserve time off and we want athletic departments to work in a sensible and appropriate way to provide it. We want administrators to have some degree of flexibility in implementing these rules, but they must be mindful that rest is important to a student’s health, in addition to their athletic and academic performance.”

The proposals will need to be submitted formally for consideration at the NCAA convention in January 2017. Given that they’ve been endorsed by all Power Five commissioners, it seems doubtful the proposals won’t pass.

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
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