[81alum]

I don't think this issue is inconvenience to football fans. The issue is inconvenience to student athletes.

Entirely agree.  This should only be done if it could be arranged for the summer before classes begin. 

Stanford has a tradition of protecting its student athletes from such disruptions at the end of the quarter before finals.  Stanford has lots of students from China.  Just ask any of them if they would fly home for a weekend towards the end of the quarter. 

Similar arguments used to happen on a much smaller scale when conferences expanded.  There was a day when conferences tried to keep all their teams in geographic proximity to lower travel time and travel costs.  As the revenues have increased it seems that the door is now open to ignoring those old-fashioned limitations and treating student-athletes as little more than good-will ambassadors for the university public relations team.

All the arguments for why playing in China will be good for Stanford's global image, why it will foster ties with Asia, how it will help connect with our many Asian alums--all these things may be true but should all take a distant second place to the academic well being of our students. 

[81alum]

I don't think this issue is inconvenience to football fans. The issue is inconvenience to student athletes.

Entirely agree.  This should only be done if it could be arranged for the summer before classes begin. 

Stanford has a tradition of protecting its student athletes from such disruptions at the end of the quarter before finals.  Stanford has lots of students from China.  Just ask any of them if they would fly home for a weekend towards the end of the quarter. 

Similar arguments used to happen on a much smaller scale when conferences expanded.  There was a day when conferences tried to keep all their teams in geographic proximity to lower travel time and travel costs.  As the revenues have increased it seems that the door is now open to ignoring those old-fashioned limitations and treating student-athletes as little more than good-will ambassadors for the university public relations team.

All the arguments for why playing in China will be good for Stanford's global image, why it will foster ties with Asia, how it will help connect with our many Asian alums--all these things may be true but should all take a distant second place to the academic well being of our students.