Big 12 conference makes final decision on player availability reporting

Jeff Hauser

Big 12 conference makes final decision on player availability reporting  image

© Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Big 12 conference will institute player availability reports for football, men's basketball and women's basketball this year. 

"Approved by all member institutions, the policy will include updates in the days leading up to each game, as well as a final report 90 minutes prior to kickoff or tip-off," according to a press release on Wednesday. "Big 12 football programs will be required to submit daily reports beginning three days before each game. Men's and women's basketball teams will update their availability reports the night before each contest." 

This will be a step forward in the new era of college athletics. The Big 12’s athletic directors voted to start using availability reports, according to a report by On3

All reports will be available at the Big 12's website. The only difference is football, student-athletes must be designated by status as available, probable, questionable, doubtful or out. Basketball designations will include available, game-time decision or out. 

The Big 12 joins the other power conferences in requiring its football teams to provide availability reports and are similar to the NFL's injury reports. 

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Jeff Hauser

Jeff Hauser is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He has over twenty years of experience and is a two-time Emmy Award winner, Heisman Trophy and Biletnikoff Award voter. Among the events he has covered are the Super Bowl, College Football Playoff, World Series, World Cup, and WBC Boxing. Hauser is a regular guest on FOX Sports and ESPN Radio. He previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, SB Nation and Athlon Sports.