The biggest news in NCAA basketball as it pertains to post regular season play is the status of conference tournaments and the upcoming NCAA tournament. Some conference tournaments have already ended and some are just beginning and who and where people will be watching those games are in places imaginable prior to the season.
The number one concern is the safety and well-being of the student-athletes and those going to the games to watch these highly anticipated NCAA Basketball games. The Ivy League, for example, has canceled its conference tournament due to concerns with the spread of the coronavirus. Other conferences like the Big West and Mid-American conferences are playing their conference tournaments without spectators as their games will be closed to the general public.
The Big Ten tournament and Big 12 tournament both announced today that starting Thursday, games will be played without fans in direct response to the coronavirus outbreak. But the biggest news involved the NCAA Tournament.
The NCAA today announced that the upcoming NCAA Tournament games will not allow fans to attend and that with only essential staff and limited family will be able to be in attendance.
There have been many reactions from many people in favor of the move
Wow.
— Kaz Weida (@kazweida) March 11, 2020
No fans at the NCAA tournament games.
A hard decision but definitely the right one to protect players, their families, and the public. https://t.co/CM1Wf9O3Go
Man, I was really looking forward to seeing fans pack McKale for @ArizonaWBB's NCAA Tournament run.
— Ryan Kelapire (@RKelapire) March 11, 2020
This sucks but is the right decision.https://t.co/JMnP0HWrYY
I am the number one ncaa tournament fan on planet earth. This is the right decision.
— Lance Becker (@LaBeck81) March 11, 2020
However, there are many fans who understand but are still disappointed that there will not be many fans in attendance.
I am deeply disappointed we won’t see Welsh-Ryan Arena rocking next week for the NCAA Tournament. But this is probably the right decision under the circumstances.
— Northwestern, winning in the U.S.A. (@RiseNU) March 11, 2020
I’m sure March Madness being played without the fan attendance is the safest and best decision to make, and that’s most important.
— Taylor Rooks (@TaylorRooks) March 11, 2020
But man what an absolutely devastating blow to the most exciting event in sports. A lot of that magic comes from the crowd. Wild
It's the right decision, but March Madness is going to be so different this year https://t.co/ZzC96cqB3C
— Andrew Joseph (@AndyJ0seph) March 11, 2020
Then there are fans who are really going to miss the excitement and atmosphere that the crowd brings to the games.
this how march madness gon be with no fans pic.twitter.com/RQ6SDWIwDs
— keanu (@keanukarg) March 11, 2020
March Madness this year after a buzzer beater win. pic.twitter.com/GhWi0K4fkY
— Tyler Roney (@TylerJRoney) March 11, 2020
https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/bracketiq/2020-02-27/what-march-madness-ncaa-tournament-explained
Many fans are upset and more so are frustrated by not just only being to attend the games but also not seeing and hearing the roar of the crowd when a No. 15 seed defeats a No. 2 seed or a team being down by 15 at halftime and winning the game to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. The NCAA Tournament is deemed March Madness for many reasons and the crowds at the games play a pivotal role in the “madness”.
Some people are making the argument that not allowing the fans in the arenas is just going to make people go to crowded nearby establishments.
More fans watch NCAA tourney games in crowed bars than at games. They will gather in crowded bars. Displacing fans from arenas to already crowded bars does NOT mitigate the potential spread. This is stupid. Cancel the tourney then if they are so concerned.https://t.co/23FKH7aDX4
— David A. Clarke, Jr. (@SheriffClarke) March 11, 2020
Then there is the question of what if an actual player contracts the coronavirus?
March Madness 2020 pic.twitter.com/YXAYzzYUSi
— Brandon George (@DMN_George) March 11, 2020
Does the player get quarantined? Does the team have to forfeit the games due to possibly being contagious? These are questions that hopefully, the NCAA is looking into just in case a player and or team, unfortunately, get the coronavirus.
The world has not had a pandemic of this potential scale in quite some time. The sports world, in particular, the upcoming NCAA tournament is in unchartered waters. Tough decisions are being made and more than likely tougher choices will have to be made in the near future. Some are even making an argument for a drastic course of action.
Some are making an argument to cancel the entire tournament.
People are worried and no one should blame them for having concerns. Americans not just college basketball fans love the NCAA tournament for numerous reasons.
There is no doubt that watching the NCAA tournament will be vastly different without thousands of fans screaming and cheering for the cinderella upset-minded team or the school they traveled hundreds of miles to see. However, time will tell and great basketball still is more than likely going to be played.
For more information about COVID-19, visit the CDC’s website, the U.S. government website or the website for your state’s Department of Health.