NCAA Relocating 2021 Men’s Basketball Championship Sites to Indiana

[OrangeXtreme]

NCAA announces March Madness preliminary round dates

Four First Four games will tip-off the 2021 NCAA tournament on Thursday, March 18. Turner Sports and CBS Sports to broadcast all 67 tournament games beginning March 18.

www.ncaa.com

INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship will tip off with a quartet of First Four games Thursday, March 18, setting a stage for a March Madness unlike any other in the 82 years of the event.

As previously announced, the entire tournament will be in Indiana, with 55 of the 67 games taking place in Indianapolis. Mackey Arena in West Lafayette and Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington will each host two First Four games and will join Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indiana Farmers Coliseum and Lucas Oil Stadium as hosts of first-round games Friday and Saturday, March 19 and 20. The four venues in Indianapolis will serve as sites for the remainder of the championship, including second-round games Sunday and Monday, March 21 and 22. While specific game times will be announced later, viewers can expect games in typical broadcast windows, with first- and second-round games on TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV.

The Sweet 16 will be played at Bankers Life Fieldhouse and Hinkle Fieldhouse on Saturday and Sunday, March 27 and 28, with each of the eight games getting its own television window. In the past, regional semifinal games took place in prime time, with a pair of games overlapping each other in the early evening and late evening sessions. In 2021, all Sweet 16 games will be played at separate times.

The Elite Eight games will take place in prime time Monday and Tuesday, March 29 and 30, and the Final Four is scheduled for Saturday and Monday, April 3 and 5. All those games will be played at Lucas Oil Stadium.

 

[MSOrange]

NCAA announces March Madness preliminary round dates

Four First Four games will tip-off the 2021 NCAA tournament on Thursday, March 18. Turner Sports and CBS Sports to broadcast all 67 tournament games beginning March 18.

www.ncaa.com

INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship will tip off with a quartet of First Four games Thursday, March 18, setting a stage for a March Madness unlike any other in the 82 years of the event.

As previously announced, the entire tournament will be in Indiana, with 55 of the 67 games taking place in Indianapolis. Mackey Arena in West Lafayette and Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington will each host two First Four games and will join Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indiana Farmers Coliseum and Lucas Oil Stadium as hosts of first-round games Friday and Saturday, March 19 and 20. The four venues in Indianapolis will serve as sites for the remainder of the championship, including second-round games Sunday and Monday, March 21 and 22. While specific game times will be announced later, viewers can expect games in typical broadcast windows, with first- and second-round games on TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV.

The Sweet 16 will be played at Bankers Life Fieldhouse and Hinkle Fieldhouse on Saturday and Sunday, March 27 and 28, with each of the eight games getting its own television window. In the past, regional semifinal games took place in prime time, with a pair of games overlapping each other in the early evening and late evening sessions. In 2021, all Sweet 16 games will be played at separate times.

The Elite Eight games will take place in prime time Monday and Tuesday, March 29 and 30, and the Final Four is scheduled for Saturday and Monday, April 3 and 5. All those games will be played at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Good to know. I made a slight adjustment to my time off schedule.

 

[UpstateSM]

ACC should have the ACCT in Indy. Just bubble up there a week early for the conference tourney so you don’t have to worry about infections between then and the big dance

 

[OrangeXtreme]

All NCAAT-qualifying teams within 350 miles of Indianapolis will be required to travel by charter bus. And in an effort to combat COVID-19 positives that could surface after arrival in Indianapolis, teams’ traveling parties will split up into three busses.

For teams flying, private airports (and private planes, as always) will be used. As I’ve previously reported, eating/ drinking while traveling via bus/plane is not allowed. Goggles + face shields will also be provided/suggested as extra measures. (Masks mandated, natch.)

Auto-bid teams determined prior to Saturday, March 13, will be asked to arrive in Indy on March 13. Teams earning auto bids early enough on Saturday afternoon/evening will immediately depart from their league championship, provided they can arrive in Indy later Saturday night.

I’m told all 31 auto bids will arrive in Indy Sat. or Sun. LATE Sunday and all-day-Monday departures will be reserved for the 37 at-large teams. Meaning even if a team is considered a lock, protocol is to not leave for Indy until the bracket reveal officially confirms inclusion.

The NCAA is asking teams with "high probability" of being selected as at-larges to stay in their conference tournament location between the end of their league tourney and the bracket reveal. (This would primarily only become tricky if, say, Gonzaga didn't get the auto bid.)

The travel-party size capacity is 34 for all NCAAT teams. If you go to the NCAAT, you are Tier 1. As previously reported, you need seven straight negatives to be able to depart for Indy. Bands will not be allowed at the NCAAT through at least the E8; decisions on F4 not yet made.

Teams will only be allowed to eat in designated rooms at their hotels for the entirety of their stay in Indy. Every person will have their own hotel room. Obviously, no outside guests will be allowed—that is allowed into the hotel, period, that aren’t on a team or with the NCAA.

The Indiana Convention Center will have 12 practice courts. (Teams will also practice at NCAAT venues.) In a twist, coaches will not be allowed to scout next-round opponents; all scouting will be done via video, which the NCAA will supply to teams that make it to the next round.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[HoustonCuse]

Forgive me if this has been covered. What is the plan if a team does wind up quarantined during the tournament? Do they just forfeit and the other team moves on to the next round?

 

[NineOneSeven]

Forgive me if this has been covered. What is the plan if a team does wind up quarantined during the tournament? Do they just forfeit and the other team moves on to the next round?

Depends on the team... wheelhouse.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[OrangeXtreme]

2021 NCAA Tournament TV schedule​

First Four​

THURSDAY, MARCH 18	TIME	CHANNEL
Game 1	5 p.m.	truTV
Game 2	6:20 p.m.	TBS
Game 3	8:30 p.m.	truTV
Game 4	9:50 p.m.	TBS

First round​

FRIDAY, MARCH 19	TIME	CHANNEL
Game 5	Noon	CBS
Game 6	12:30 p.m.	truTV
Game 7	1 p.m.	TBS
Game 8	1:30 p.m.	TNT
Game 9	2:45 p.m.	CBS
Game 10	3:20 p.m.	truTV
Game 11	3:50 p.m.	TBS
Game 12	4:20 p.m.	TNT
Game 13	6:15 p.m.	TBS
Game 14	7 p.m.	CBS
Game 15	7 p.m.	truTV
Game 16	7:15 p.m.	TNT
Game 17	9:10 p.m.	TBS
Game 18	9:30 p.m.	CBS
Game 19	9:45 p.m.	truTV
Game 20	9:50 p.m.	TNT
SATURDAY, MARCH 20	TIME	CHANNEL
Game 21	Noon	CBS
Game 22	12:30 p.m.	truTV
Game 23	1 p.m.	TBS
Game 24	1:30 p.m.	TNT
Game 25	1 p.m.	CBS
Game 26	3:20 p.m.	truTV
Game 27	3:50 p.m.	TBS
Game 28	4:20 p.m.	TNT
Game 29	6:15 p.m.	TBS
Game 30	7 p.m.	CBS
Game 31	7 p.m.	truTV
Game 32	7:15 p.m.	TNT
Game 33	9:10 p.m.	TBS
Game 34	9:30 p.m.	CBS
Game 35	9:45 p.m.	truTV
Game 36	9:50 p.m.	TNT

Second round​

SUNDAY, MARCH 21	TIME	CHANNEL
Game 37	Noon	CBS
Game 38	2:30 p.m.	CBS
Game 39	5 p.m.	CBS
Game 40	6 p.m.	TNT
Game 41	7 p.m.	TBS
Game 42	7:30 p.m.	truTV
Game 43	8:30 p.m.	TNT
Game 44	9:30 p.m.	TBS
MONDAY, MARCH 22	TIME	CHANNEL
Game 45	Noon	CBS
Game 46	2:30p.m.	CBS
Game 47	5 p.m.	TBS
Game 48	6 p.m.	TNT
Game 49	7 p.m.	CBS
Game 50	7:30 p.m.	TBS
Game 51	8:30 p.m.	TNT
Game 52	9:30 p.m.	CBS

Sweet 16​

SATURDAY, MARCH 27	TIME	CHANNEL
Game 53	2:30 p.m.	CBS
Game 54	5 p.m.	CBS
Game 55	7:15 p.m.	TBS
Game 56	9:45 p.m.	TBS
SUNDAY, MARCH 28	TIME	CHANNEL
Game 57	2 p.m.	CBS
Game 58	4:45 p.m.	CBS
Game 59	7 p.m.	TBS
Game 60	9:30 p.m.	TBS

Elite Eight​

MONDAY, MARCH 29	TIME	CHANNEL
Game 61	7 p.m.	CBS
Game 62	9:45 p.m.	CBS
TUESDAY, MARCH 30	TIME	CHANNEL
Game 63	7 p.m.	TBS
Game 64	9:45 p.m.	TBS

Final Four​

SATURDAY, APRIL 3	TIME	CHANNEL
Game 65	5 p.m.	CBS
Game 66	8:30 p.m.	CBS

National championship​

MONDAY, APRIL 5	TIME	CHANNEL
Game 67	9 p.m.	CBS

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[kirbivore]

Depends on the team... wheelhouse.

See nfl game policy. Las Vegas we’re moving your game up. Denver you play with no QB. Baltimore (Lamar Jackson) we’ll bend over backwards to accommodate

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[Ragman2000]

Please God let us make the tourney; the games are LITERALLY up the street from me.

 

[FRANKIEFAN]

Who wants to go in on a room in Indy for 2.5 weeks?

I think that city has my vote for worst/least favorite in the USA but that is a lot of dancing to be had.

 

[FRANKIEFAN]

Well for 572 I just pulled the trigger on my trip for the first 2 rounds. I always take vacation for the Dance. Early AM friday flight gets me there at 1115am. Tues return home 1030am. Honestly so little work time missed I might even not have to bring the laptop. 4 Nights at the Fairfield Inn downtown most of the games are walking distance. First weekend tickets should be fine price wise I'd expect Sweet 16 and Elite 8 to be an arm and a half.

Now all we gotta do is make it.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[orange79]

So, if a team has to withdraw, it's a walkover for the other team?

 

[Chris02M]

So, if a team has to withdraw, it's a walkover for the other team?

sounds like it once the tourney starts

 

[Cuse1055]

sounds like it once the tourney starts

Ok so any guesses as to how many teams win by forfeit due to Covid in the tourney? Imagine if it happens in the final 4 or even the championship game.

 

[UpstateSM]

Ok so any guesses as to how many teams win by forfeit due to Covid in the tourney? Imagine if it happens in the final 4 or even the championship game.

I would be surprised if there’s one. Shocked if there’s two.

 

[Cuse1055]

In addition, this is wild:

 

[orange79]

I hope I get the numbers 2 and 0 in John D. Marinuzzi's NCAA pool.

 

[FRANKIEFAN]

Once you get to Indy and test negative you should be good if you keep testing negative.

I have to imagine the second someone gets a positive they get quarantined and the rest of the team is allowed to carry on if they have negative results.

That said I'm not sure how secure the bubble will be you can still book any hotel you want around the venues.

 

[kirbivore]

They need the replacements to hit the court pro wrestling style