NCAA, Big Ten Restrict Fan Access For Tournaments
It was a day that shook college sports.
The NCAA announced on Wednesday afternoon that it would restrict fan access for its winter championships, including the men's and women's basketball tournaments and the wrestling championships, in response to the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
Later in the day, the Big Ten announced that the final four days of its men's basketball tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis would be played without fans. The Big 12 made a similar announcement about its men's basketball tournament in Kansas City, Mo.
The Big Ten's ruling extends to events involving conference teams throughout the rest of the winter and spring seasons.
"The Big Ten Conference announced this evening that beginning Thursday, March 12, 2020, attendance at all Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament games will be limited to student-athletes, coaches, event staff, essential team and Conference staff, TV network partners, credentialed media, and immediate family members of the participating teams," a statement from the conference read on Wednesday night.
"Additionally, all further Big Ten Conference winter and spring sport competitions, including championship/tournament events, will also be limited to student-athletes, coaches, event staff, essential team and Conference staff, TV network partners, credentialed media, and immediate family members of the participating teams.
"The main priority of the Big Ten Conference is to ensure the safety of our student-athletes, coaches, administrators, fans and media as we continue to monitor all relevant information on the COVID-19 virus on a daily basis."
Iowa opens the men's basketball tournament with a second-round game on Thursday afternoon.
“The decisions that are being made to limit attendance at Big Ten Conference events and NCAA championship events are the result of information provided by national health experts," Iowa athletics director Gary Barta said in a statement. "The Big Ten Conference and its league presidents are in full support of these decisions.
"There are a lot of unknowns at this time in regard to tickets, travel, and the affect these decisions will have on a large number of fans. We will be communicating information to those impacted by these decisions as we receive additional details.
"The health and wellness of our coaches, staff, and student-athletes, as well as our fans, is paramount, and will be at the core of all decisions moving forward.”
The NCAA made its announcement on Wednesday afternoon.
That decision will have an impact on Iowa's women's basketball and wrestling teams.
Iowa could be a possible host for the first weekend of the NCAA women's tournament. The Hawkeyes were seeded 13th in the last seeding reveal by the selection committee, which would have made them a 4 seed in the tournament and a host for the first and second rounds.
Iowa was host last year, and set NCAA attendance records for the first and second rounds.
Iowa's wrestling team is ranked No. 1 nationally. The Hawkeyes were expected to have a big fan following for next week's NCAA championships in Minneapolis.
