No fans at NCAA men's or women's tournament [merged thread]

[Argonaut]

 

[oldude]

The NCAA has taken a first step by eliminating fans, but they can take a second step that is equally important by absolutely limiting travel through airports. The biggest opportunity to do this would be during the first 2 rounds by setting up brackets where the top 16 seeds host 3 teams each that are in close proximity. Obviously, this means that some teams would have much tougher roads than others. Subsequently, the NCAA could do the same thing for the regionals. Here again, there would be mismatched regions.

These steps may seem extreme, but this thing is going to get a lot worse before it gets better. We need to take this seriously before the entire nation ends up shutting down like Italy.

 

[LowkeyX]

They better use a 7 second delay... or refrain from placing microphones near the courts or benches. Wouldn't be FCC friendly if they don't.

Lol, yes we already hear some S & F bombs on regular season telecasts.

 

[ABCDFE]

Hopefully, this puts UConn in Ft. Wayne as it should be. No one can dispute that UConn is the "best" 2-seed. Much easier path for UConn now. Odds of winning number 12 went up by about 50% according to my model.

Please share your model

 

[TheFarmFan]

I agree, the only excitement will be seeing the top teams go at it... basically sweet 16 & on... the only
real excitement with most first round games are the enthusiastic lively crowds but without it, it will be like watching an exhibition/scrimmage.

With all due respect, these kinds of concerns are crocodile tears at this point. I suspect you'll be lucky to have first-two round games to tune out at all. The tournament is basically one or two players or coaches/staff testing positive away from being cancelled, especially for the men's teams playing their tournaments this week. Think about how many high fives, handshake lines, etc. there are. I think it's just a matter of time. Once that happens, university general counsel go into overdrive - unnecessary risks to their player and coaches, legal liability to their own employees and students not to mention risk of exposure to other teams, etc. Dominoes fall from there.

 

[JoePgh]

With all due respect, these kinds of concerns are crocodile tears at this point. I suspect you'll be lucky to have first-two round games to tune out at all. The tournament is basically one or two players or coaches/staff testing positive away from being cancelled, especially for the men's teams playing their tournaments this week. Think about how many high fives, handshake lines, etc. there are. I think it's just a matter of time. Once that happens, university general counsel go into overdrive - unnecessary risks to their player and coaches, legal liability to their own employees and students not to mention risk of exposure to other teams, etc. Dominoes fall from there.

Has the coronavirus had a lethal or other serious effect on anyone of college age, much less an athlete in peak physical condition? From my casual consumption of newscasts, the deaths from the virus have been exclusively or very predominantly among elderly folks like most of us, and we won't be coming to these NCAA games.

I would think it would take more than a positive test on one or two athletes to warrant a cancellation of the games.

 

[oldude]

Has the coronavirus had a lethal or other serious effect on anyone of college age, much less an athlete in peak physical condition? From my casual consumption of newscasts, the deaths from the virus have been exclusively or very predominantly among elderly folks like most of us, and we won't be coming to these NCAA games.

I would think it would take more than a positive test on one or two athletes to warrant a cancellation of the games.

It’s not that young people are dying. They are not. But they can contract and transmit the virus. Washington State is an example. It now appears that a HS student somehow contracted the virus approximately 6 weeks ago, but was misdiagnosed with the flu. He recovered at home in a couple weeks, but by that time he had transmitted the virus to family members who transmitted it to seniors at health care facilities, resulting in the highest concentration of mortality and severely ill people in the U.S.

 

[wbball novice]

The NBA game on TV was interrupted to announce that the Utah-OKC Thunder game was canceled just before it began (fans in the stands, players already on the floor), because of Rudy Gobert's illness. Hopefully just being cautious.

 

[Centerstream]

I'd rather see the NCAA do this than cancel. Of course they may end up doing that but for now at least the athletes will get to compete.

And ESPN gets to televise/stream every game and get that sponsorship money, so I guess we know why they didn't cancel the big show...$$$$$$$

 

[OldAlum]

I was just reading about the guy in Wilton, CT. Reportedly he is in his 40s and had traveled to California. No mention of other illness. He is in a coma and his wife and infant twins are in quarantine. Yeah, it can be really serious.

 

[Centerstream]

Allegedly a single person with the virus attended a company conference in Boston, then stopped by a company office in the RTP area of NC before going home. He is now the patient zero for 50 other cases in multiple states. What if this guy had gone to a sporting event during his sojourn?????

Cancel the tournament, fortunately, it's only a sporting event.

BTW, I truly hope that the media exposure is way overblown but better safe than sorry.

 

[oldude]

The NBA game on TV was interrupted to announce that the Utah-OKC Thunder game was canceled just before it began (fans in the stands, players already on the floor), because of Rudy Gobert's illness. Hopefully just being cautious.

There was a similar scare in Tampa yesterday at the Yankees spring training camp when catcher Gary Sanchez became ill with a feaver. Fortunately, he was quickly tested by medical personnel and determined to have the flu.

In Italy, a star soccer player on Juventas was in fact diagnosed with the virus. These type of individual cases have the potential to not only shut down teams but entire leagues.

 

[wbball novice]

NBA season has been suspended. Rudy Gobert had a positive test for the corona virus. Both teams (Utah/OKC) in quarantine.

 

[Kaizen]

NBA season has been suspended. Rudy Gobert had a positive test for the corona virus. Both teams (Utah/OKC) in quarantine.

 

[Kaizen]

 

[Kaizen]

 

[oldude]

NBA season has been suspended. Rudy Gobert had a positive test for the corona virus. Both teams (Utah/OKC) in quarantine.

I’m sitting here checking the BY and watching CNN. You posted this news 1-2 minutes before CNN. Clearly, the best place to get news on the virus is the BY.

 

[wbball novice]

I’m sitting here checking the BY and watching CNN. You posted this news 1-2 minutes before CNN. Clearly, the best place to get news on the virus is the BY.

Actually, credit Woj on ESPN interrupting the Denver-Dallas game. Should have seen Mark Cuban's reaction shot when he got the news on his phone.

 

[KY Card Fan]

I'm a betting man, and I'll give you 100-1 that there will be no NCAA tournament this year. How can they in all good conscience have teams, referees and media traveling all over the country, interacting with countless anonymous individuals (airline/bus, hotel staff, arena staff, etc.).

And I say that as a guy who has tickets to Louisville, Fort Wayne and New Orleans.

 

[Kaizen]

I’m sitting here checking the BY and watching CNN. You posted this news 1-2 minutes before CNN. Clearly, the best place to get news on the virus is the BY.

If you are a NBA fan you will receive this news at the first hand by Twitter ..

 

[CTBballfan243]

The NCAA tournament will not be played.

 

[Kaizen]

 

[cbraarj]

For UConn there’s no problem because they will fly on the University’s charter plane to and from small regional airports. Many teams will fly through up to 3 public airports in each direction.

Great to be the best!!!

 

[UcMiami]

Wow - he was joking last week about the virus as he touched all the microphones in front of him!

This I think just changed the equation for the NCAA - if a pro league is killing its season, it is hard to justify ANY sporting events. Baseball is at least played with few people within spitting distance of each other, but pitchers are always licking their fingers and rubbing the ball - not exactly health conscious.

 

[Kaizen]

NBA suspends season until further notice after player tests positive for coronavirus

NBA suspends season due to coronavirus

The NBA announced that it has suspended its season until further notice after the completion of Wednesday night's games after a member of the Utah Jazz preliminarily tested positive for the coronavirus.

www.espn.com