What Options Should The NCAA Consider If They Feel The Need To Make Any Changes To This Year's Tourneys?

[pvdoggy]

Right or wrong I think the smart money would say they are going to cancel the tournament.

 

[UcMiami]

One issue with the virus at this moment is the lack of timely testing available all around the country. The number of labs set up to test, and the speed at which results are available is a real problem at this moment. That is beginning to change but part of the expansion that is being seen in 'number of confirmed cases is a direct result of the ability to perform the tests. Not sure how CT is set up at this moment, but know from direct conversation with an ER doctor in VT that at the moment it takes 2-3 days to get a test processed. And that is a major improvement from a week ago.

Empty gyms for the tournament is probably step one and should probably be announced immediately before the brackets are announced and fans start booking.

I think any further decisions could wait for a week and could be reviewed after each weekend. If the spread continues to accelerate, then ending the tournament would be on the table.

 

[j66kicker]

Just heard an interview with the Penn MBB coach, whose team just made a herculean late-season push to earn a spot in the Ivy League's 4-team tournament. He said, in addition to the disappointment of the team's amazing effort now all-of-a-sudden having been for nothing, there is the frustration that the school's other sports are continuing to play "business as usual", and only basketball is getting their big event canceled.

 

[ochoopsfan]

The NCAA decision might be the precedent setter for all sports. Since March Madness is the next Big event on the sports calendar we shall see how teams will go forward in the major leagues. I believe the next big sports event, in technically a sport but not really a sport, is Wrestlemania on Sunday April 5th in Tampa. It is at an outdoors stadium that can seat 80K. The WWE Management is looking at options.

 

[triaddukefan]

 

[Woof 101]

On a serious note, cancel the tournament. This is about Collegiate Athletics and the students, alumni and their fans are more important to the game and tournament than ESPN, CBS and Turner Broadcasting.
Crown SC as NC, obviously with an *.
I don't think that anyone disagrees at this point that they are the best team.

Not an attack but this is silly as silly gets. I hope they do what is right for the health of all, but anointing a champion of The NCAA Tournament with out having a tournament is simply silly. There is a reason they play the game an old axiom. Another being on a given day.
There is no team without a loss and no reason to assume who would win with out playing. Teams peak at different times as do players, I like the way UConn has upped their game recently. Will not accept defeat in a game not played.

 

[Steelerone]

Things are changing by the day, if not the hour. I'm certainly not an alarmist, but I do like to think of myself as a realist. Aside from the tradition and financial issues, which are major to be sure, there are also potentially life or death issues. Even if the NCAA doesn't outright cancel the tournaments, do you think some schools will elect to skip this year's tournaments. Grammar schools to Graduate schools around the country are already cancelling academic and sporting events...and on-campus classes. The first two rounds of the NCAA Division III tournament in Maryland were already played without spectators. There have been a plethora of major cancellations around the world. Not all are sports related. Entertainment, business, marketing, and on and on have not been spared. And it's going to get worse before it gets better.

At this time and date my option would be that all games will be played, but without spectators. Further, any school that backs out will not be penalized in any way. A default win to the opponent of the absent team. But then what about a scheduled game where both teams have elected to skip? Sadly, I think this is going to be a mess. Hope I'm wrong. I don't even want to think of the potential of an infection break-out having originated at one of the tournament venues.

Also, if a complete tournament cancellation comes to pass this year...then what?

Ideas...sans smart a** commnets?

I agree with you, unfortunately, one hundred per cent JavaMan. Not sure we have even seen the tip of the iceberg. Our Grandson is graduating from the Pre-Buds programs at the Great Lakes and we just found out today that no spectators will be admitted to the graduation ceremonies and that there will be no liberty allowed off base until further notice. Things change.

 

[UCBaller2012]

UCLA not allowing home sporting events. Wonder if that makes them give up hosting rounds one and two?

 

[Littlemin]

The relatively small number of deaths are insignificant until one of them happen to be someone you love.

Obviously true, so why not cancel public gatherings during flu season, where in the US alone upwards of 30,000 people die annually? Or do the deaths by corona virus carry more sorrow than those by strains of influenza?1 Why not ban cars because of all the highway deaths? One could go on and on and it is pointless and cruel but unfortunately, also true that we all die. I am a free, thinking person and choose not to live in a bubble but rather use the intelligence and common sense I possess to protect myself as much as I see fit. I don’t need or want “leaders” to do that for me.

 

[TheFarmFan]

UCLA not allowing home sporting events. Wonder if that makes them give up hosting rounds one and two?

This will be most schools by this weekend, so I doubt it. Either everyone does this, or there won't be a tournament at all. (Which may happen anyway.)

 

[Steelerone]

You guys might want to check, I think your youth an immaturity are showing.

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Nah, JavaMan, sometimes when people are nervous about something they handle it in different ways. I eat glazed doughnuts. To me the most disturbing thing about this situation is the lack of knowledge concerning this virus. All they seem to do is compare it to the flu but then they come out with statistics that are much more virulent. I would rather here someone say "RIght now we don't know anything about it and we really don't have a long term plan" than "The stock market is down another twenty five points".

 

[Plebe]

This will be most schools by this weekend, so I doubt it. Either everyone does this, or there won't be a tournament at all. (Which may happen anyway.)

My spidey sense, combined with your 'real talk', tells me this has gone from a 50/50 to more like 90/10 for cancellation.

I'm sure they'll consider postponement as well, but I gotta think that's a logistical nightmare. Would venues even be available on such short notice for the new dates? Then again, if they're playing without fans, maybe they'd just play in some nondescript practice gym somewhere.

Just imagine the liability issues if only one person ends up dying from covid-19 after attending or participating in a tournament that the NCAA chose not to cancel. Even if they don't give a whip about public health, they surely do care about getting sued.

 

[JavaMan]

I agree with you, unfortunately, one hundred per cent JavaMan. Not sure we have even seen the tip of the iceberg. Our Grandson is graduating from the Pre-Buds programs at the Great Lakes and we just found out today that no spectators will be admitted to the graduation ceremonies and that there will be no liberty allowed off base until further notice. Things change.

Ugh! That's a bummer. You guys have probably been looking forward to that for some time. I suppose some good news is that they probably toughend him up quite a bit by now so he'll be able to handle it. And life has done the same for us.

 

[Plebe]

The amount spent on travel is a drop in the bucket compared to what the NCAA earns in the tournaments (men & women). An event that generates billions shouldn't have to worry about the cost-savings in having a dozen more teams ride buses instead of flying. The only real reason for keeping teams close to home is attendance, not plane costs.

You lumped the men's and women's tournaments together. Certainly true for the men. Revenues from the women's tournament are the drop in the bucket.

 

[j66kicker]

You lumped the men's and women's tournaments together. Certainly true for the men. Revenues from the women's tournament are the drop in the bucket.

Revenues for the women's tournament are less than expenses for the women's tournament. It loses money and is subsidized by the men's tourney.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Play the tournament as normal. This is all a tempest in a teacup.

 

[j66kicker]

I'm sure they'll consider postponement as well, but I gotta think that's a logistical nightmare. Would venues even be available on such short notice for the new dates? Then again, if they're playing without fans, maybe they'd just play in some nondescript practice gym somewhere.

Just imagine the liability issues if only one person ends up dying from covid-19 after attending or participating in a tournament that the NCAA chose not to cancel. Even if they don't give a whip about public health, they surely do care about getting sued.

Actually, I bet the spectator-less games would be better on TV if they were played on one of those high school tournament factory buildings. The ones with very little spectator capacity - college coaches along one sideline and room for ~100 fans upstairs on the same side. Then they wouldn't be showing a bunch of empty seats, plus the small walled-in nature of the court makes them loud - you hear the squeaking of the players' shoes on the court, the players talking and coaches yelling, and it all echoes off the walls like a racquetball court.

 

[Kaizen]

UCLA not allowing home sporting events. Wonder if that makes them give up hosting rounds one and two?

 

[Old Jim]

What ever The NCAA decides I hope they do it soon. Delaying the tournament or playing the games in empty arenas is a real problem for the fans. A lot of fans have plane tickets to change, hotel reservations to cancel and tickets to get refunded if any of this is possible. I doubt they will cancel since there is too much TV money to lose. They really can't cancel the women's tournament and not cancel the men's.

 

[Biff]

Play the tournament as normal. This is all a tempest in a teacup.

Meh. That's your opinion I guess but others disagree.

 

[Alydar]

You lumped the men's and women's tournaments together. Certainly true for the men. Revenues from the women's tournament are the drop in the bucket.

What difference does it make how the money is made? The NCAA earns all the money from all sources. The expense of moving teams around the country is very small compared to the total revenue and a minor factor in the tournament cost.

 

[Martin]

Here is my terrible idea. Make the regular season mean something. Annoint a regular season champion; the team finishing number 1 in the end of season polls. Celebrate it; make it mean something.

Then use the end of season conference tournaments to fill a post season tournament called Tournament of Champions where conference tournament champions and the regular season conference champion participates. This way the regular season conference champ is rewarded and there is room for dark horse cindarella to win their conference tournament and get in. A lot of really good teams won’t participate unless they win regular season or conference tournament. Ya it is a terrible idea I am trying to make the regular season mean something I am tired of NCAA experts being inconsistent when a good team loses but its ok and then some other team loses and they killed in the rankings. Look at football Alabama will never finish first with a 9-3 record if Georgia is 11-1. In football losses hurt you but in basketball those experts sometimes ignore them. Ya terrible idea.

 

[Kaizen]

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics won't be canceled because of the outbreak of the coronavirus, but the games reportedly could be delayed by as much as 24 months.

A member of the competition's executive board, Haruyuki Takahashi, told the Wall Street Journal's Alastair Gale (h/t Tom Schad of USA Today): "I don't think the Games could be canceled. It'd be a delay. The International Olympic Committee would be in trouble if there's a cancellation. American TV rights alone provide them with a huge amount."

2020 Tokyo Olympics More Likely to Be Delayed Than Canceled, Says Board Member

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics won't be canceled because of the outbreak of the coronavirus, but the games reportedly could be delayed by as much as 24 months...

bleacherreport.com

 

[CL82]

You guys might want to check, I think your youth an immaturity are showing.

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Immaturity on The Boneyard? I’m shocked! Shocked I say!

 

[Zinethar]

The relatively small number of deaths are insignificant until one of them happen to be someone you love.

Whenever anyone dies it is of course significant to their love ones. But most of the time it is not significant to the world at large. This mass hysteria is totally out of control compared to reality. The same type of people who die from the flu will possibly die from this. Take reasonable precautions, if you are worried about attending games don't go. Again the few deciding what is best for the rest of us.