Oklahoma State is Pondering a Plan regarding COVID-19, but the NCAA has Laid Down a Precedent

NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament and the NCAA Wrestling Tournament with only essential staff and limited family attendance. Is this what we will soon see on the Oklahoma State campus

STILLWATER -- I had just got off the phone with an Oklahoma State athletic department official and he told me to keep an eye on the Oklahoma State University President's office and that the first announcement of a plan regarding the COVID-19 virus for Oklahoma State and the athletic department this spring would come from that source.

"We've been discussing it for several days, but it will be the President's office that will make the first announcement. I have a feeling that the NCAA is about to announce something," he said.

There is a reason that I often call that person, because within minutes of our phone call the NCAA spoke very loud and very clear.

The first phase of the NCAA plan for the upcoming Men's Division I Basketball Tournament and other championships, including the wrestling championships in Minneapolis, Minn. came with a Twitter post. 

NCAA President Mark Emmert statement on limiting attendance at NCAA events: https://t.co/TIHHJjdse5 pic.twitter.com/8I1HdceDfN

— NCAA (@NCAA) March 11, 2020

In brief: NCAA President Mark Emmert announced that the upcoming Division I men's and women's basketball tournaments are going to be played without fans in attendance. The games will be limited to just essential staff and limited family members. That is the plan for other immediate championships including wrestling. 

The big winner here, television because it seems like people are going to be watching on television. The losers are all the communities that were hosting and counting on big tourism dollars, airline, hotels, travel agencies, as well as restaurants. The sports business is coming down to a halt. 

Andy Katz is reporting that the NIT will happen, but the NIT is owned by the NCAA and he is reporting no crowds for that event. 

The biggest question for Oklahoma State, actually there are several to ponder.

What about the opening of O'Brate Stadium for baseball on March 20?

What about the final spring practice in football, and on the same day the Remember the 10 Run and Bedlam baseball at O'Brate?

Several schools, including Michigan and Cincinnati have already canceled spring football games. Oklahoma State wasn't likely to have a spring game, but a final spring practice and a huge event for recruiting.

"I know this, if we don't have a spring practice finale or game or if we can't have a crowd then I will be disappointed," director of recruiting Todd Bradford told me at practice. "That is a big event for us in recruiting to have the prospects here and to have an atmosphere so they can see what our program is about."

Oklahoma State is scheduled to host the NCAA Men's and Women's Tennis Championships in May, the Big 12 for that. What happens to that event that has been planned for the past several years?

President Burn's office has also recently sent out correspondence to the students:

"The health and well-being of our campus community are paramount to all of us as we continue to closely monitor the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). We are coordinating closely with our colleagues at OU and following the guidance of local, state, national and global health officials as we contemplate the timing of contingency plans and next steps.

While no decision to do so has been made, we are exploring the possibility of moving our in-person classes at both Stillwater and Tulsa campuses online for two weeks following spring break as a contingency plan to protect our campus community as best we can.

Students are advised to take any course materials and devices with them as they leave for spring break in the event that face-to-face instruction moves to online learning for a time. Resources will be made available to students and faculty should we suspend in-person instruction."

All questions where answers will be coming, soon we hope.