The news many people expected, but which had not yet been made official, is now official: The 2020 NCAA Tournament will be played in arenas without fans. Only the players, coaches, and essential staff members will be allowed inside arenas, with the media’s presence in arenas still being discussed.
Here is a statement from NCAA President Mark Emmert:
“The NCAA continues to assess the impact of COVID-19 in consultation with public health officials and our COVID-19 advisory panel,” Emmert said in the statement. “Based on their advice and my discussions with the NCAA Board of Governors, I have made the decision to conduct our upcoming championship events, including the Division I men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, with only essential staff and limited family attendance. While I understand how disappointing this is for all fans of our sports, my decision is based on the current understanding of how COVID-19 is progressing in the United States. This decision is in the best interest of public health, including that of coaches, administrators, fans and, most importantly, our student-athletes.”
The reality of a fan ban for all NCAA Tournament games was always a strong possibility when it became apparent that the coronavirus was going to spread throughout the United States and that testing for the virus was not being conducted with the timeliness or scale needed to rein in the global pandemic.
Momentum for the policy of preventing fans from attending NCAA Tournament games grew earlier this week, when Ohio Governor Mike DeWine requested that fans not attend indoor sporting events (parents of athletes being an exception). That request became an order on Wednesday.
“One of the things that we have found in discussions, and this is very understandable, is some organizations need an order from the government,” DeWine said during a press conference. “It is better for us to make their life easier by issuing an order.”
The fact that the First Four — which stages the opening games of the NCAA Tournament — is annually held in Dayton, Ohio, magnified the impact of DeWine’s request-turned-order. One of the first- and second-round NCAA Tournament sites is Cleveland, which also fell under DeWine’s order. That move led to the cancellation of rallies for the two Democratic presidential candidates in Ohio.
The NCAA was very unlikely to allow fans to other NCAA Tournament sites after the events affecting Ohio-based sites. Now that news is official.
No word has emerged yet on whether the 2020 Final Four — scheduled to be held inside a football venue, Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta — will be moved to a smaller location. Stay tuned for more news, which is emerging rapidly in the midst of a very fluid situation.