NCAA Relocating 2021 Men’s Basketball Championship Sites to Indiana

[OrangeXtreme]

NCAA Announces Further Details for 2021 Division I Men’s Basketball Championship

The NCAA will stage the entire 2021 men’s basketball championship in Indiana, with the majority of the tournament’s 67 games taking place in Indianapolis. Selection

www.ncaa.org

INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA will stage the entire 2021 men’s basketball championship in Indiana, with the majority of the tournament’s 67 games taking place in Indianapolis. Selection Sunday is still scheduled for March 14, and plans remain to have the Final Four April 3 and 5, with exact preliminary round dates still to be determined.

“This is a historic moment for NCAA members and the state of Indiana,” said NCAA President Mark Emmert. “We have worked tirelessly to reimagine a tournament structure that maintains our unique championship opportunity for college athletes. The reality of today’s announcement was possible thanks to the tremendous leadership of our membership, local authorities and staff.”

The NCAA is partnering with a local health provider to administer COVID-19 testing within the controlled environment for players, coaching staffs, administrators and officials. The Marion County Health Department has approved medical protocols shared by the NCAA and will continue collaborating with the NCAA leading up to and during the championship.

The tournament will be hosted by Ball State University, Butler University, the Horizon League, Indiana University, IUPUI and Purdue University, which are lending their facilities and staffs to assist with tournament operations. The Indiana Convention Center will be used as a practice facility, with multiple courts set up inside the venue. Marriott properties, an official NCAA Corporate Partner, will house most of the tournament teams and are connected to the convention center via skywalks and within a controlled environment. All teams will be housed on dedicated hotel floors, with physically distanced meeting and dining rooms, as well as secure transportation to and from competition venues.

Games will be played on two courts inside Lucas Oil Stadium, as well as Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indiana Farmers Coliseum, Mackey Arena in West Lafayette and Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington. Only one game at a time will be played at Lucas Oil Stadium.

CBS Sports and Turner Sports will continue to distribute all 67 games of the tournament across TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV and their digital platforms.

“The 2021 version of March Madness will be one to remember, if for no other reason than the uniqueness of the event,” said NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt. “With the direction of the men’s basketball committee, we are making the most of the circumstances the global pandemic has presented. We’re fortunate to have neighbors and partners in Indianapolis and surrounding communities who not only love the game of basketball as much as anyone else in the country but have a storied history when it comes to staging major sporting events.

“This is going to be complicated and difficult; there’s no question about that. We appreciate the collaboration among the men’s basketball committee and staff, our hosts and local organizers, the staffs at each practice and competition venue, and our broadcast and corporate partners. We will all pull together and stage a terrific national championship.”

The NCAA is closely monitoring the ongoing pandemic and will continue to work with local officials to determine the feasibility of having fans attend games at any of the venues, though a limited number of family members of each participating teams’ student-athletes and coaches will be permitted to attend their team’s games. Details pertaining to the possible allocation of other tickets will be finalized later, as will any decision about fan events.

The NCAA is also working with the city and state to promote “Mask Madness,” an initiative to promote health and safety by practicing social distancing and wearing a mask. As part of this program, the NCAA will donate thousands of masks throughout the state leading up to the tournament.

 

[MSOrange]

NCAA Announces Further Details for 2021 Division I Men’s Basketball Championship

The NCAA will stage the entire 2021 men’s basketball championship in Indiana, with the majority of the tournament’s 67 games taking place in Indianapolis. Selection

www.ncaa.org

INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA will stage the entire 2021 men’s basketball championship in Indiana, with the majority of the tournament’s 67 games taking place in Indianapolis. Selection Sunday is still scheduled for March 14, and plans remain to have the Final Four April 3 and 5, with exact preliminary round dates still to be determined.

“This is a historic moment for NCAA members and the state of Indiana,” said NCAA President Mark Emmert. “We have worked tirelessly to reimagine a tournament structure that maintains our unique championship opportunity for college athletes. The reality of today’s announcement was possible thanks to the tremendous leadership of our membership, local authorities and staff.”

The NCAA is partnering with a local health provider to administer COVID-19 testing within the controlled environment for players, coaching staffs, administrators and officials. The Marion County Health Department has approved medical protocols shared by the NCAA and will continue collaborating with the NCAA leading up to and during the championship.

The tournament will be hosted by Ball State University, Butler University, the Horizon League, Indiana University, IUPUI and Purdue University, which are lending their facilities and staffs to assist with tournament operations. The Indiana Convention Center will be used as a practice facility, with multiple courts set up inside the venue. Marriott properties, an official NCAA Corporate Partner, will house most of the tournament teams and are connected to the convention center via skywalks and within a controlled environment. All teams will be housed on dedicated hotel floors, with physically distanced meeting and dining rooms, as well as secure transportation to and from competition venues.

Games will be played on two courts inside Lucas Oil Stadium, as well as Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indiana Farmers Coliseum, Mackey Arena in West Lafayette and Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington. Only one game at a time will be played at Lucas Oil Stadium.

CBS Sports and Turner Sports will continue to distribute all 67 games of the tournament across TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV and their digital platforms.

“The 2021 version of March Madness will be one to remember, if for no other reason than the uniqueness of the event,” said NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt. “With the direction of the men’s basketball committee, we are making the most of the circumstances the global pandemic has presented. We’re fortunate to have neighbors and partners in Indianapolis and surrounding communities who not only love the game of basketball as much as anyone else in the country but have a storied history when it comes to staging major sporting events.

“This is going to be complicated and difficult; there’s no question about that. We appreciate the collaboration among the men’s basketball committee and staff, our hosts and local organizers, the staffs at each practice and competition venue, and our broadcast and corporate partners. We will all pull together and stage a terrific national championship.”

The NCAA is closely monitoring the ongoing pandemic and will continue to work with local officials to determine the feasibility of having fans attend games at any of the venues, though a limited number of family members of each participating teams’ student-athletes and coaches will be permitted to attend their team’s games. Details pertaining to the possible allocation of other tickets will be finalized later, as will any decision about fan events.

The NCAA is also working with the city and state to promote “Mask Madness,” an initiative to promote health and safety by practicing social distancing and wearing a mask. As part of this program, the NCAA will donate thousands of masks throughout the state leading up to the tournament.

It will be interesting to see what dates they come up with for the preliminary rounds. That will affect the time off I've already requested but first world problems.

 

[JustPherU]

Why put up two courts inside Lucas oil stadium if only one game at a time will be played?

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Selection Sunday remains March 14. Final Four April 3-5. In between to be determined.

 

[upperdeck]

perhaps it speeds things up a bit, you could in theory have teams warming up and ready to go on one court an not need the 30-40 min between games that normally takes place.. you do that over multiple games and it adds up to hrs.. it also allows for perhaps starting a game on time if OT happens on one court..

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[miamicuse]

Makes sense.

Seeding is difficult if not impossible given all the pauses and cancelled games, having all play at a neutral site with no fan takes away the advantage to be a higher seed. Even more chance for upsets.

They can even have the same stadium chopped into four individual courts and play four concurrent games, no fans anyway. Only down side is you will hear each other's whistles and be distracted LOL.

What about the NIT? I wonder if there is one if they will go the same route, may be do the same exact thing NCAA is doing but two weeks early so the NCAA gets a "trial run"?

 

[JustPherU]

Makes sense.

Seeding is difficult if not impossible given all the pauses and cancelled games, having all play at a neutral site with no fan takes away the advantage to be a higher seed. Even more chance for upsets.

They can even have the same stadium chopped into four individual courts and play four concurrent games, no fans anyway. Only down side is you will hear each other's whistles and be distracted LOL.

What about the NIT? I wonder if there is one if they will go the same route, may be do the same exact thing NCAA is doing but two weeks early so the NCAA gets a "trial run"?

I’ve been to a few different sites for tournament games and usually most fans pull for the underdog.Of course the fans from the higher seeded team pull for their own, but all others root hard for the little guy.

 

[Ragman2000]

Indiana is allowing fans right now.

 

[CorduroyG]

after no march madness last year they could play it on mars for all i care, just git it done! i cant go 2 years in a row with no madness. i cant. i wont.

 

[djcon57]

Sounds good to me...as long as we are there

 

[sutomcat]

Why put up two courts inside Lucas oil stadium if only one game at a time will be played?

Maybe they are planning on using court 1 on Thursday/Saturday and court 2 on Friday/Sunday? That would give them more time to disinfect the court, team areas, stands, etc. from one session to the next one.

 

[miamicuse]

I’ve been to a few different sites for tournament games and usually most fans pull for the underdog.Of course the fans from the higher seeded team pull for their own, but all others root hard for the little guy.

What I meant was, the higher seeded teams in the past has a geographic advantage on earlier rounds. Like in 2003 we were seeded #3 in the east we get to play in Boston then Albany. That's a pretty big advantage to play Auburn and OK in Albany.

 

[miamicuse]

Maybe they are planning on using court 1 on Thursday/Saturday and court 2 on Friday/Sunday? That would give them more time to disinfect the court, team areas, stands, etc. from one session to the next one.

Or to remove and reapply the advertising banners on the court and court side depending on who sponsored which game and who is televising which. May be the final 4 women's game played on one court while the men's sweet sixteen game on the other?

 

[cusefan88]

Indianapolis has a huge convention center/many hotels. About as good a location for hoops as you can get. Hinkle Fieldhouse! Great to see a legendary venue.

As far using Mackey/Assembly Hall it's what 60-70 mins from Indy there. Not the worst.

 

[jncuse]

You need 4 sites minimum. 8 would be better to account for practice time.

4 quadruple headers on Thursday & Friday

4 double headers on Saturday & Sunday.

Question is, does Indy have enough hotel space to accommodate 64 teams for the 1st two days.

I suspect the round of 64 will be more than two days this year.

 

[CardiacCuse]

what if a player gets covid? is that team eliminated?

 

[Ragman2000]

Indianapolis has a huge convention center/many hotels. About as good a location for hoops as you can get. Hinkle Fieldhouse! Great to see a legendary venue.

As far using Mackey/Assembly Hall it's what 60-70 mins from Indy there. Not the worst.

Normally only an hour from downtown Indy to Assembly Hall, but the main artery between Indy and Btown closed Jan 1 for blasting to be interstate. With the detour, will be closer to an hour and 20 minutes or so with no traffic.

 

[Madbiker]

Anyone notice that Jerry Palm's bracket today doesn't have SU in the tourney field? But UConn is a #10 seed. And Colgate is a #16.

 

[cusefan88]

Normally only an hour from downtown Indy to Assembly Hall, but the main artery between Indy and Btown closed Jan 1 for blasting to be interstate. With the detour, will be closer to an hour and 20 minutes or so with no traffic.

I'm sure that will be built into the schedule. Playing at Indiana or Purdue is probably not the first game or the last on a particular day.

 

[NKR1978]

The Road To The Final Four now starts and ends in the same place.

It's a short road.

 

[miamicuse]

what if a player gets covid? is that team eliminated?

They will have to work on some rules to handle positive cases of players coaches and other team members, before and during the games.

I suppose under certain scenerios you might have sweet thirteen, elite six and final three this year.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

NCAA Announces Health and Safety Protocols for DI Men’s Basketball Championship

The NCAA, in conjunction with the Marion County Public Health Department, has formalized the COVID-19 health and safety protocols to be used during the 2021 Division

www.ncaa.org

All Tier 1 travel party participants will be required to undergo and document seven consecutive negative COVID-19 tests prior to arrival into Indianapolis. The NCAA will work with IU Health to provide health related support including the administration of daily PCR tests for Tier 1 individuals upon arrival and throughout the tournament. Tier 1 participants include student-athletes, coaches, athletic trainers, physical therapists, medical staff, equipment staff and officials.

The NCAA will arrange charter bus and/or air travel for all Tier 1 participants. All teams participating will be housed in Marion County hotels for the duration of their active participation in the tournament. Meals will either be in-room or in physically distanced meal rooms with assigned seating.

Except during practice or competition time on court, all Tier 1 participants will observe physical distancing and universal masking at all times. Exceptions are while alone in the hotel room or during pre-arranged and approved mealtime.

All Tier 1 participants will wear KINEXON movement devices throughout the tournament, including practices and games. These devices, coupled with video analysis, provide data that allows total time measurement of those who are within 6 feet of a newly infected individual with COVID-19. The data will be utilized to assist with contact tracing and the need to quarantine participants. If close contact time with another individual who has tested positive for COVID-19 is less than 15 minutes over 24 hours, then quarantine may not be required.

COVID-19 testing and contact tracing will not be required for asymptomatic Tier 1 individuals who are at least two weeks post-infection and within 90 days of the first known date of infection, or participants who are at least two weeks post their second COVID-19 vaccine (or singular COVID-19 vaccine for FDA approved vaccines that require one dose only). These groups will still be required to wear masks and physically distance.

The protocols also address game attendance. Up to six family members per Tier 1 participant (up to 420 family members total) will be allowed in each venue per game. The family members will be prohibited from interacting in person with any of the Tier 1 participants during the entire tournament. They will be seated in physically distanced family clusters. The final attendance policy will be announced after Feb. 1.

 

[Ragman2000]

So basically, no fans in attendance. Blech. Assembly Hall is 2 miles from my house. I've lived in Bloomington almost 18 years waiting for a chance to see the Cuse play here...and they might and I can't go. StoopidRona.

 

[OrangeXtreme]