The Basketball Tournament plans to return in July at a single site

The format of TBT 2020 will feature only 24 teams at one location and will be played in a span of about 10 days, likely without fans.

[jwplayer 7Q2ZwvVT]

The Basketball Tournament, an annual single-elimination competition, announced Wednesday its plans to return in July in a scaled-down format with strict safety protocols to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

The 2019 version of TBT involved 64 teams at eight regional sites throughout the United States. However, the format in 2020 will feature only 24 teams at one location to be determined and will be played in a span of about 10 days, likely without fans.

Players will be quarantined and tested for the coronavirus throughout the tournament. A positive test will result in both that player and their team being removed from the event. Teams that have tested negative for the coronavirus will be permitted to play and will be regularly screened.

The event, which is televised by ESPN, has grown in popularity in recent years as the winner-take-all prize reached $2 million last year but the payout for this year has not yet been determined.

[lawrence-related id=16879,17332,16887]

[vertical-gallery id=11659]