The NCAA will host the entire postseason men’s basketball tournament in Indianapolis and surrounding areas in a bubble-like format, officials announced on Monday.
All 68 teams will compete for the national championship and play most games at various locations in Indianapolis, with a few games in Bloomington and West Lafayette. Most teams will be in hotels connected to the Indiana Convention Center, which will be used as a practice site, the NCAA said.
Selection Sunday is still scheduled for March 14, and Final Four is scheduled to take place on April 3 and 5 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
In Indianapolis, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse and Indiana Farmers Coliseum will be used for tournament games. The Mackey Arena in West Lafayette and the Assembly Hall in Bloomington will also be used, the NCAA said.
“This is a historic moment for NCAA members and for the state of Indiana,” NCAA President Mark Emmert said in a statement. “We work tirelessly to reimagine a tournament structure that maintains our unique championship opportunity for college athletes. The reality of today’s announcement was made possible thanks to the tremendous leadership of our members, local authorities and staff.”
The monumental effort will include the biggest bubble-like attempt of any major sport during the pandemic.
A local health partner in Indianapolis will conduct tests for all players, coaches, officials, officials and others connected with the event. The announcement does not specify the frequency of testing in what NCAA officials are calling a “controlled environment”, but Marion County officials approved the NCAA plan and protocols.
Teams will be on “dedicated hotel floors” and will respect social distance during the entire tournament. And a “limited number of family members” will be allowed to watch the games, while other details about the fans remain undetermined.
“March 20’s version of March Madness will be unforgettable, if not for the uniqueness of the event,” said Dan Gavitt, senior vice president of basketball at the NCAA. “With the direction of the men’s basketball committee, we are making the most of the circumstances that the global pandemic has presented. We are fortunate to have neighbors and partners in Indianapolis and in the surrounding communities who not only love basketball like anyone else in the country, but with a historical history when it comes to organizing major sporting events. “
The NCAA headquarters is located in Indianapolis.
David Worlock, spokesman for the NCAA men’s tournament, said the possibility of substitution teams and the procedures for handling positive tests “are still being discussed”.
Indiana Governor Eric Holcolmb told reporters on Monday that the Division II men’s tournament will be held in Evansville, Indiana, and the Division III men’s tournament will be held in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
In November, the NCAA said Indianapolis was its favorite venue for a city post-season tournament and would eliminate the 13 preliminary venues and the traditional format to mitigate risk in the midst of the pandemic. At the time, the NCAA did not release many details, saying only that its plan would involve multiple locations in a metropolitan area.
“My committee colleagues and I have not lightly made the difficult decision to relocate the preliminary rounds of the 2021 tournament, as we understand the disappointment that 13 communities will feel at missing the opportunity to participate in March Madness next year,” Mitch Barnhart, president of the Division I Men’s Basketball Committee and athletic director at the University of Kentucky, said in the November announcement. “With the University of Kentucky scheduled to host first and second round games in March, this is something that directly impacts our school and community, so we certainly share your regret. The committee and the team are deeply grateful for the efforts of all the host institutions. and conferences, and we hope to bring the tournament back to the affected locations in the coming years. “
But the NCAA’s initial decision raised doubts about the feasibility and logistical viability of a 68-team tournament in a city during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gavitt then said that the event would be held in a “controlled environment”, but did not use the word “bubble”.
Following the November announcement, coaches across the country told ESPN that they would support any version of the NCAA tournament after the event was canceled last season, resulting in a $ 375 million loss to the NCAA.
“It’s just a logistical nightmare,” Houston coach Kelvin Sampson told ESPN in December, before adding, “If that’s what we have to do, let’s do it.”