NCAA Tournament COVID Contingency Plans

[HeGotGame]

The First Four Out is now an official thing, as they will be seeded as replacement teams to fill in if a team cannot participate - but only up until March 16. After that, the bracket is played and if a team can't compete, the opponent moves on.

Very interesting.

NCAA announces contingency plans for tournament teams forced to withdraw due to issues related to COVID-19

The NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Committees have determined how they will handle various scenarios related to a team needing to withdraw from the

www.ncaa.org

 

[Get a Job]

Crazy stuff. Although there are some convoluted scenarios in the new guidelines, once the tourney starts, it's very simple:

"Once the tournament has begun, no team will replace a team that has a COVID-19 issue and can no longer participate in the championship. Its opponent would advance to the next round via the no-contest rule."​

 

[tzznandrew]

So does that mean if a 2 seed goes into covid protocol, the whole bracket behind them reshuffles, OR first team out just replaces them on the 2 line?

You'd think it's the former, but that's chaos and depending on how late it is it would mess with teams' gamesplans.

 

[Get a Job]

So does that mean if a 2 seed goes into covid protocol, the whole bracket behind them reshuffles, OR first team out just replaces them on the 2 line?

You'd think it's the former, but that's chaos and depending on how late it is it would mess with teams' gamesplans.

It's the latter, and it's quite a gift for the 15 seed!

Buckle up everyone. March Madness is going to get a lot madder!

 

[tzznandrew]

It's the latter, and it's quite a gift for the 15 seed!

Buckle up everyone. March Madness is going to get a lot madder!

Just read the article and it's absolutely that case.

It's also a gift for the last at large team out. A 16 seed will be replaced with a team from that conference, but a 2 seed likely comes from a multi-bid conference. I get why they'd do that, but it's going to cause craziness.

 

[Get a Job]

This whole scenario is blowing my mind up. If, after Selection Sunday, a non-play-in 16-seed withdraws, the First Team Out takes their place. Now that 1-seed has to play a much better team in the first round. That goes against what the guidelines say:

"Since all four replacement teams would have been seeded as a First Four team had they initially been selected as an at-large team, it is assured that their first-round opponent will not be put at a competitive disadvantage because the replacement team would be either a comparable or lower-seeded team."​

​

I must be missing something?

Edit: I was indeed missing something. Since that 16-seed would have come from a 1-bid conference, they would be replaced by a team from that conference. However, since the auto-bid (conference tourney winner) is not necessarily the best team from that conference, the 1-seed could still get shafted, if only slightly, in that scenario.

 

[Get a Job]

Just read the article and it's absolutely that case.

It's also a gift for the last at large team out. A 16 seed will be replaced with a team from that conference, but a 2 seed likely comes from a multi-bid conference. I get why they'd do that, but it's going to cause craziness.

Ah, that's what I was missing when writing my last post. Still trying to wrap my mind around the possible scenarios though.

 

[HeGotGame]

There is a tremendous amount of money at stake. I bet, like every other sport, there will be no Covid issues in CBB's version of the playoffs.

 

[superjohn]

It's the latter, and it's quite a gift for the 15 seed!

Buckle up everyone. March Madness is going to get a lot madder!

Probably not, it will probably be like every single other sport and have little to no issues and crown a champion.

 

[Get a Job]

Probably not, it will probably be like every single other sport and have little to no issues and crown a champion.

If they choose to sweep stuff under the rug, maybe. But if they stick to the letter of their guidelines, I can't imagine all games go down without some covid hiccups. When was the last day without a slew of covid-canceled games?

 

[ConnZag3]

I'll bet at least 1 B1G team gets whacked from the tournament by their insane protocols...

 

[ThabeetDown]

As much as the NCAA makes a mockery of the simplest tasks and rules, I think this is probably one of the more sane things they've done in recent memory. Can't really take any fault with how they laid things out here. Might be the first time ever they used logic.

 

[Drew]

So this is interesting...

 

[Vuce]

With Dook and now UVa eliminated from the ACC Tourney it will be interesting to see what happens in the NCAA Tournament. Esp. if a 1 or 2 seed is eliminated for a Covid test by a non player. Seems like there will def. be a positive test for at least 1 program if not multiple. Maybe UHar wins it all?!

 

[UCPharma11]

So what if a team tests positive prior to the championship, are they just going to hand the championship to the other team? Hardly sounds like a good idea.

 

[gsmooth]

So what if a team tests positive prior to the championship, are they just going to hand the championship to the other team? Hardly sounds like a good idea.

that's a good question. I am not sure the NCAA officials have the answer for that. Let's hope all 63 games get played and it never comes to that. But I am really concerned about the NCAA tourney now.

 

[Marat]

The NBA showed the bubble worked for the playoffs earlier. That was a true bubble though. The NCAAs won't be the same due to number of teams and multiple locations. Just keep fingers crossed that UConn staff and players are holed up for the entirety .

 

[VAHuskyFan]

The NBA showed the bubble worked for the playoffs earlier. That was a true bubble though. The NCAAs won't be the same due to number of teams and multiple locations. Just keep fingers crossed that UConn staff and players are holed up for the entirety .

Exactly. The NBA protocol was a bubble.

The NCAA protocol uses the word “bubble” to describe a scenario involving 68 teams spread out in hotels across Indianapolis traveling to/from a bunch of different arenas.

 

[Dogdeacon]

I'll bet at least 1 B1G team gets whacked from the tournament by their insane protocols...

By 'insane protocols' do you mean unduly strict or they've got nothing and are bound to transmit the virus?

Lot of wonky stuff heading into tourney. Seems like every team should be really tightening the reigns, closing inner circle & contacts. It is a bigger version of last season's NBA bubble and the programs that best embrace a bubble mentality are most likely to succeed.

 

[HeGotGame]

By 'insane protocols' do you mean unduly strict or they've got nothing and are bound to transmit the virus?

Lot of wonky stuff heading into tourney. Seems like every team should be really tightening the reigns, closing inner circle & contacts. It is a bigger version of last season's NBA bubble and the programs that best embrace a bubble mentality are most likely to succeed.

What should have been done is adding a week off and starting the tournament the weekend of the 27th.

This would eliminate any issues that pop up during the conference tournament, but I presume it was never considered as it would result in the final four being the same weekend as the Masters

 

[Dogdeacon]

Exactly. The NBA protocol was a bubble.

The NCAA protocol uses the word “bubble” to describe a scenario involving 68 teams spread out in hotels across Indianapolis traveling to/from a bunch of different arenas.

What should have been done is adding a week off and starting the tournament the weekend of the 27th.

This would eliminate any issues that pop up during the conference tournament, but I presume it was never considered as it would result in the final four being the same weekend as the Masters

NBA was a bubble, the NCAA is a bubble bath with no one knowing who is showing up and how dirty they are gonna be.

Agree they shoulda pushed it back, final four Saturday would have lost some viewers to Masters but imminently possible to move times and have people watch both. One game at 7PM and one starts at 9:30 - obv the Monday finale unaffected. CBS coulda kept viewers for 12hrs straight and promoted it as self-quarantine Saturday.

Or why not have first two rounds Saturday - Sunday and 2nd round Monday - Tuesday?! One day of the week isn't really that different than another for more than half the country right now. Room to be more flexible & creative.

 

[HeGotGame]

NBA was a bubble, the NCAA is a bubble bath with no one knowing who is showing up and how dirty they are gonna be.

Agree they shoulda pushed it back, final four Saturday would have lost some viewers to Masters but imminently possible to move times and have people watch both. One game at 7PM and one starts at 9:30 - obv the Monday finale unaffected. CBS coulda kept viewers for 12hrs straight and promoted it as self-quarantine Saturday.

Or why not have first two rounds Saturday - Sunday and 2nd round Monday - Tuesday?! One day of the week isn't really that different than another for more than half the country right now. Room to be more flexible & creative.

Timing is not the issue its the production team and Jim Nantz.

You cannot set up a B team to cover one of your signature events and no way in the world Nantz would agree to miss either event.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Timing is not the issue its the production team and Jim Nantz.

You cannot set up a B team to cover one of your signature events and no way in the world Nantz would agree to miss either event.

C'mon really!? Schools are going to be disqualified from the NCAA tourney due to one man's ego or alleged need/want/desire to have him do both telecasts. He's possibly done after this year anyway. He certainly could do the NCAA Saturday and miss only 1/4 rounds. AND we've proven play-by-play and color can be done remotely!?

 

[HeGotGame]

C'mon really!? Schools are going to be disqualified from the NCAA tourney due to one man's ego or alleged need/want/desire to have him do both telecasts. He's possibly done after this year anyway. He certainly could do the NCAA Saturday and miss only 1/4 rounds. AND we've proven play-by-play and color can be done remotely!?

I take it you do not run a business or have any understanding of logistics. Or this post was a missed attempt at a joke. Not sure.

 

[Dogdeacon]

I take it you do not run a business or have any understanding of logistics. Or this post was a missed attempt at a joke. Not sure.

LOL, it may be that I'm able to rely on other folks to make logistics work. Sounds like you are on the operations end & are tampering down expectations?!

Mostly though I was speaking just on Nantz as obstacle.

In all seriousness though, In terms of logistics and production team for CBS I assumed the golf - NCAA have lots of different people and could work. Plus since normally they are in multiple different regional sites and this year can plunk it all down in Indy its a lot less expensive and fewer logistics challenges.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Timing is not the issue its the production team and Jim Nantz.

You cannot set up a B team to cover one of your signature events and no way in the world Nantz would agree to miss either event.

LOL. Nantz can choose which one he wants. CBS certainly has other announcers. This would merit ZERO consideration. Who announces for CBS will have ZERO effect.

 

[freescooter]

Honestly if I knew I had a bid locked up, I might be tempted to withdraw from my league tournament and lock my team down in a bubble somewhere before the important tournament starts. Why run the risk? Plus guys are going to be tempted to go out and celebrate. Given that the league tournaments are pretty meaningless made for tv events in the day of multiple bid leagues, if you think you have a shot at the NCAA title why muck around with some dopey league one?

 

[HeGotGame]

LOL. Nantz can choose which one he wants. CBS certainly has other announcers. This would merit ZERO consideration. Who announces for CBS will have ZERO effect.

Ha ok. Do a little research and google contracts. Maybe then you won't sound like a dofus.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Honestly if I knew I had a bid locked up, I might be tempted to withdraw from my league tournament and lock my team down in a bubble somewhere before the important tournament starts. Why run the risk? Plus guys are going to be tempted to go out and celebrate. Given that the league tournaments are pretty meaningless made for tv events in the day of multiple bid leagues, if you think you have a shot at the NCAA title why muck around with some dopey league one?

The point of a basketball team is to play basketball games. Can't just crawl under a rock. There's a reason no team has purposefully withdrawn from conference tourneys.

And for UConn BE weekend tourney experiences and wins compare favorably I'd bet vs everything save final 8 games and final four weekends.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Ha ok. Do a little research and google contracts. Maybe then you won't sound like a dofus.

You telling me that cbs, which pays $20 Billion for those rights through 2032 is making decisions passed on a contact of a broadcaster?

That is a laughable angle. CBS doesn’t want to mess with the Masters time frame, that is absolutely a consideration, but that has nothing to do with Jim Nantz.

Nantz is on a talent contract. He doesn’t have any say about anything other than when and where he works. If those events made it impossible to cover both, then he picks the one he wants, which would be the golf.