In an unprecedented move on Wednesday, the NCAA announced it will hold both men’s and women’s basketball tournaments without the fans due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a statement on their website this afternoon, the NCAA said:
“The NCAA continues to assess the impact of COVID-19 in consultation with public health officials and our COVID-19 advisory panel,” NCAA president Mark Emmert said in a statement. “Based on their advice and my dicussions with the NCAA Board of Governors, I have made the decision to conduct our upcoming championship events, including the Divison I men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, with only essential staff and limited family attendance.”
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said prior to the announcement he will issue an order that would ban fans from NCAA tournament games in both Cleveland and Dayton.
Earlier today in a closed door meeting to Congress, Dr. Brian Monahan, briefed Senate staff Tuesday in a closed-door meeting that he expects anywhere from 70M up to 150M people in the US to contract coronavirus.
