Strictly Speaking Logistics: What's the NCAA Going to do with the Tourney in TX?

[MD#12Fan]

Looks like (knock on wood) the NCAA Women's Basketball is going to make it through this incredibly challenging season. So many protocols and concerns for the safety of the athletes and all concerned. Very limited fans this year, a couple of 25% capacity fan games?
What happens now? Isn't it too late to move the event?
If it stays in TX, will the NCAA insist on protocols even in a state that's 100% open? Can the NCAA make such demands? If the NCAA cannot dictate the protocols, will coaches make the calls? And bottom line, will it be safe for the teams?
No politics, just logistics! I'm fascinated with what's gunna happen next..

 

[Aluminny69]

Looks like (knock on wood) the NCAA Women's Basketball is going to make it through this incredibly challenging season. So many protocols and concerns for the safety of the athletes and all concerned. Very limited fans this year, a couple of 25% capacity fan games?
What happens now? Isn't it too late to move the event?
If it stays in TX, will the NCAA insist on protocols even in a state that's 100% open? Can the NCAA make such demands? If the NCAA cannot dictate the protocols, will coaches make the calls? And bottom line, will it be safe for the teams?
No politics, just logistics! I'm fascinated with what's gunna happen next..

Isn't it possible to keep the players separated from the fans? Large plastic barriers, maybe? Wouldn't it be great to play in front of a packed house, while still keeping the players safe? I hope it can be done. ( No shaking hands with the fans! )

 

[KY Card Fan]

In his presser today Walz did say that the team hotels will be taken over by the NCAA and will be occupied 100% by the teams coaches and support staffs. No fans or other anyone else.

He also said (I'm paraphrasing a bit) "we will continue with the same COVID protocols that we've been following all season."

 

[Kaizen]

I don't know is it too late to change the place?
Now the question, if some people get the COVID-19, can they sue NCAA?

 

[NormanDale]

I don't know is it too late to change the place?
Now the question, if some people get the COVID-19, can they sue NCAA?

Yes, it is far too late, the logistics involved for scheduling, travel, lodging, etc takes months. No, the NCAA can not be held liable for anything. You people are blowing this way out of proportion, this decision has ZERO effect on the tournament, they were essentially creating a bubble for the athletes before and that has not changed.

 

[HopJim]

Its my understanding that the /tx Governor's order gives business and individual organizations the ability to impose their own protocols.

 

[Monte]

Terrible timing. Texas is putting the whole Tourney in Jeopardy.

 

[NormanDale]

Terrible timing. Texas is putting the whole Tourney in Jeopardy.

How?

 

[MD#12Fan]

Isn't it possible to keep the players separated from the fans? Large plastic barriers, maybe? Wouldn't it be great to play in front of a packed house, while still keeping the players safe? I hope it can be done. ( No shaking hands with the fans! )

Wonder what full-houses would feel like to our freshmen. Potential for some serious electricity. (no coffee for Nika)

 

[stamfordhusky]

Terrible timing. Texas is putting the whole Tourney in Jeopardy.

No they aren't.

 

[NormanDale]

Its my understanding that the /tx Governor's order gives business and individual organizations the ability to impose their own protocols.

Exactly, just because you are legally allowed to operate at full capacity does not mean you are forced to. The NCAA has close to a billion reasons to have the tournaments run smoothly. In 2019 the NCAA made $933 million off March Madness of which less than $50 million was attributed to ticket sales, the risk of packed arenas is simply not worth it for them.

 

[j66kicker]

Rebecca Lobo, Darko Muhl, Amy Fuller (Paige’s mother), Geno Auriemma, Governor Lamont and David Benedict speak on Texas Gov. Abbott’s decision to open up Texas, drop the mask mandate, etc...

UConn set for women’s tournament as Texas eases COVID restrictions

Texas has eliminated its COVD-19 restrictions, just weeks before UConn and the rest of...

www.newstimes.com

 

[Blueballer]

In his presser today Walz did say that the team hotels will be taken over by the NCAA and will be occupied 100% by the teams coaches and support staffs. No fans or other anyone else.

He also said (I'm paraphrasing a bit) "we will continue with the same COVID protocols that we've been following all season."

That should help but that still leaves the hotel employees circulating out in the community the rest of the time and then coming to work.

 

[eebmg]

That should help but that still leaves the hotel employees circulating out in the community the rest of the time and then coming to work.

If everything is planned (prepaid, key cards sent ahead etc) and mapped out ahead of time (use elevators or stairwells at prescribed times etc) , you can definitely social distance everyone and not even be near any hotel employees. I think with all the away games and travel. they got their procedures down to a science.

 

[oldude]

I don’t see any changes to the policies already established by the NCAA for attendance, hotels, etc. As some point out, the increased risk would involve the potential for hotel staff and the folks who work at the arenas to become infected outside of work.

The teams will have to take all possible measures to limit any and all contact with anyone outside their travel party. I also expect that players and coaches will be tested constantly, before and after games.

If a player or coach tests positive, then all hell breaks loose. There could be forfeited games and walkovers. It’s not a particularly appealing way to run a basketball tournament.

 

[OldAlum]

I was a bit surprised at the initial decision to have 64 teams there. Quite expensive for teams from distant areas with little chance of advancement. I kind of thought they might go to some local play-in games for the lower seeds first. And unlike in past years, the "Tourney Experience" will be restrictive and different. I also wonder what the plans are if a player tests positive after a game. They must be trying to figure out if both teams are out of the tourney and who plays who.

 

[Urshurak]

Terrible timing. Texas is putting the whole Tourney in Jeopardy.

WRONG! Go actually listen to Gov. Abbotts press conference. Unbelievable.

 

[veryolddog]

Who would want to go to the tournament anyway. You get a better seat watching the games in your own home on a "big screen" and some idjit is telling you what is going on. For me, I can go to the bathroom and pee as many times as I like and the bathroom does not smell like a cesspool as they do in large stadiums. I am going to my home outside of San Antonio just so we can get a dam shot and buy a bunch of stuff that is a lot cheaper than in NM.

 

[huskeynut]

Terrible timing. Texas is putting the whole Tourney in Jeopardy.

Oh please!

 

[mbr33ct]

My question(s) becomes what happens if one or more teams in the tourney cannot participate due to the Covid, does the opposing team advances automatically? I realize this question is premature but based on what I've been reading mine actually makes sense.

 

[OldAlum]

The problem is that the affected player has already been in contact with teammates and possibly opponents who can carry and transmit the virus. So one person sitting out doesn't do it. It would affect future games.

BTW, it helps to use recent rather than historical data when evaluating the "danger" in an area. CT had a positivity rate of under 3% in the past week. Texas is above 12% (per Johns Hopkins) Also doubt that basketball players will get to get early vaccinations when so many others need them.

 

[Waquoit]

Isn't it possible to keep the players separated from the fans? Large plastic barriers, maybe? Wouldn't it be great to play in front of a packed house, while still keeping the players safe? I hope it can be done.

No, a packed house is not safe.

 

[oldude]

My question(s) becomes what happens if one or more teams in the tourney cannot participate due to the Covid, does the opposing team advances automatically? I realize this question is premature but based on what I've been reading mine actually makes sense.

If a team has a positive test 48+ hours before the first round, they will be replaced by another team. If a team tests positive any time less than 48 hours before the 1st round, or any time thereafter, they forfeit and their opponent advances.

What is even more problematic is what happens if a team plays, loses and then tests positive. Throughout the season, in such situations, opposing teams have cancelled or postponed games. If that happens in the tournament, some very good teams might be done without ever losing a game.

 

[Blueballer]

Yes 108 new cases were found in illegal aliens that were sent on their way to states in the NE. From start to now which states have done the best at keeping its citizens safest. You can pick out a snap shot of 1 day and not know the history of those new sicknesses, or with multiple co morbiditities. What caused Virginia's crazy spike in deaths, it as a state has done well. Probably a data dump as opposed to a continued spike. With the combination if those who have had the virus and those vaccinated reach 60% that is the low end of the herd immunity threshold. Texas state mandate ends the 10th. Indiana's the 31st, possibility of it ending sooner the governor making assessments daily.

I think you‘re straying off the main topic Nick. The comments are supposed to be about the specific COVID risks for the Women’s Tourney. It looks the NCAA is committed to this course so we can only hope for the best.

 

[Biff]

Apparently the subject of Tournament Logistics is too elusive to discuss.