Mark Emmert says NCAA Tournament will be held without fans due to coronavirus
If March Madness happens without fans in the stands, does it really happen at all? We’re about to find out. NCAA President Mark Emmert just announced that the 2020 NCAA Tournament will be held without fans in attendance over fears of the coronavirus outbreak.
Here is the statement from the NCAA:
The NCAA COVID-19 Advisory Panel recognizes the fluidity of COVID-19 and its impact on hosting events in a public space. COVID-19 is spreading rapidly in the United States, and behavioral risk mitigation strategies are the best option for slowing the spread of this disease. This is especially important because mildly symptomatic individuals can transmit COVID-19. Given these considerations shown on the Full Report, coupled with a more unfavorable outcome of COVID-19 in older adults – especially those with underlying chronic medical conditions – we recommend against sporting events open to the public. We do believe sport events can take place with only essential personnel and limited family attendance, and this protects our players, employees, and fans.
And from Mark Emmert:
The NCAA continues to assess the impact of COVID-19 in consultation with public health officials and our COVID-19 advisory panel. Based on their advice and my discussions with the NCAA Board of Governors, I have made the decision to conduct our upcoming championship events, including the Division I men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, with only essential staff and limited family attendance. While I understand how disappointing this is for all fans of our sports, my decision is based on the current understanding of how COVID-19 is progressing in the United States. This decision is in the best interest of public health, including that of coaches, administrators, fans and, most importantly, our student-athletes. We recognize the opportunity to compete in an NCAA national championship is an experience of a lifetime for the students and their families. Today, we will move forward and conduct championships consistent with the current information and will continue to monitor and make adjustments as needed.
What a weird time to be alive.
119 Comments for Mark Emmert says NCAA Tournament will be held without fans due to coronavirus
Very sad. Will be historic and memorable tournament for all the wrong reasons.
But it’s probably the right decision.
Why is it the right decision?
… Because people could die?
People die every day. Do you stop living your life because of those people.
This is unbelievable.
Actually, it’s not. Obama didn’t even think about doing anything for the H1N1 virus until there were 20,000 hospitalizations and 1,000 deaths. It had a higher rate of mortality, and when it was all done, 60 MILLION Americans got the virus. Compare that to this virus which has infected a mere 120,000 people or so WORLD WIDE, and whose spread is slowing where the outbreak first occurred. Furthermore, kids are basically immune, and the average age of death is 80 which is past the life expectancy. It kills sick old men. Historians are going to look back at this and wonder what in the world is going on with the insanity.
People kill me in this world today. Scared of their own shadow. Go ahead and listen to every media outlet known to man on what and how to think. People forget they are in the business of ratings. Making people fear things is great for business.
I agree. Fear propaganda…
Well, look around. Across the entire world events like this are being cancelled or altered to minimize risk of spreading the virus.
Greedy af corporations that have a LOT of money on the line are still making these decisions. That should tell you that they, at least, are taking it seriously.
I know it’s popular right now in this country to politicize this and act like it’s all a media conspiracy against trump but I think anyone who looks around can tell this is a world issue. Not everything revolves around the US.
This is the best response on here. There are going to be billions of dollars lost worldwide. And the people losing the money are the ones making these decisions. Obviously there is a greater risk than some want to accept. This has nothing to do with politics or the media.
Fear spreads faster than any disease. Are you talking about the same H1N1 the CDC overestimated? So you think one party is better than another? That’s some funny stuff.
Corder, they control us with fear and they do it every day, just watch the news.
Let me guess—I should trust trump instead of global health organizations
The coronavirus outbreak is more severe than the 2009 outbreak of H1N1, or swine flu. That illness infected between 700 million and 1.4 billion people worldwide but only had a mortality rate of 0.02%. Compare that to up to 3% for this. Vastly different and much much more contagious and faster spreading.
Wrong, you should trust no politician!
Can you personally verify those numbers Syrin? Just curious.
Those are the exact numbers from the leading expert on infectious diseases on the White House Coronavirus Task Force. He used them on Hannity last night.
I just wonder how much this affects UK chances. Most teams it probably doesn’t impact that much but with how well BBN travels and can inspire team in some games I am afraid there will be a game we need a boost from our fans who will not be there.
Agreed however it also could help UK with communication on the floor.
True but I really think this could affect a close game otherwise we may win because of our fans. I know fans do not score points or grab rebounds but it cant be understated when on neutral courts we usually have a 60 to 40 ratio of fans and I really think that does help these young kids sometimes.
This completely ridiculous and unnecessary!!!! It would be better just to cancel the whole thing if March Madness isn’t going to be the same. Although they would probably just award the NCAA Title to Kansas since they are ranked #1 which would suck.
How would cancelling the entire thing be better?
Does this include SEC TOURNAMENT?
No
They still gonna hold the final 4 in a huge football stadium?
And the world has officially gone off the tracks. A huge overreaction
I agree.
HUGE overreaction!
As of now Nashville is crowded with fans and games will be tonight with fans!
Move the final four to a small high school gym somewhere. You can’t play in a 70000 seat arena with 50 people in the stands.
Unfreakinbelievable
Somebody better get the censor button ready. What Cal says on the sideline is definitely not G rated.
^THIS^…lol. Cal will be the entire focal point of any UK broadcast with his near constant yelling and screaming.
???
Ha ha ha we’ll get to hear coaches yell at officials and players
People die in car wrecks every day. Do you stop driving your car or riding in one?
No but we wear seatbelts and have plenty of other precautions to make driving a car as safe as possible.
Any other 3rd grade level metaphors you want to make?
Stl, we can all wear masks and gloves in the crowd. C’mon man, you’ve got to be smarter than that. In life we do lots of risky things and there are all kinds of precautions for all of them. SMDH at that response.
What it’s based on is the colossal increase in NCAA profits from commercial spots because everyone will have to watch the games on television!
#BOYCOTTMARCHMADNESS
Guess the election will have to be cancelled lol
The election will go on no matter how many lives are at stake.
Then why are events nit cancelled due to the flu every year? It does kill people.
The flu kills more people, actually. 30,000 or so here in the US on average annually. Basketball season is pretty much flu season and u know what we don’t do? Cancel it. Yea a rapid spread would tax our ventilator supplies and ICU beds and we don’t want a spike but this isn’t Wuhan, it’s a free country and we get to decide what risks we take. I fly every week. Do u risk getting sick on planes? Sure. I accept that risk. If these nanny state chicken little purveyors of doom had their way anything they deem too risky for u would be forbidden, which would pretty much have ruled out any advance in science and industry in our history since they all involved risk.
This is text book how to control the masses with fear. Remember weapons of mass destruction? They used that for us to be ok with going into Iraq and destroying a country so Cheney’s Haliburton could get the contract to rebuild it to the tune of billions. Meanwhile Bush made jokes about the absence of WMD’s. Watch the movie “Contagion” if you want to see what’s yet to come.
This is text book how to control the masses with fear. Remember weapons of mass destruction? They used that for us to be ok with going into Iraq and destroying a country so Cheney’s Haliburton could get the contract to rebuild it to the tune of billions. Meanwhile Bush made jokes about the absence of WMD’s. Watch the movie “Contagion” if you want to see what’s yet to come.
This is text book how to control the masses with fear. Remember weapons of mass destruction? They used that for us to be ok with going into Iraq and destroying a country so Cheney’s Haliburton could get the contract to rebuild it to the tune of billions. Meanwhile Bush made jokes about the absence of WMD’s. Watch the movie “Contagion” if you want to see what’s yet to come.
This is text book how to control the masses with fear. Remember weapons of mass destruction? They used that for us to be ok with going into Iraq and destroying a country so Cheney’s Haliburton could get the contract to rebuild it to the tune of billions. Meanwhile Bush made jokes about the absence of WMD’s. Watch the movie “Contagion” if you want to see what’s yet to come.
This site has gotten the virus, I only posted that last comment once.
4ever we get it bro. Chill. Lol
Read 646, I only posted that comment once, this site doesn’t allow duplicate comments.
Hey 4ever, I watched the whole movie Contagion while I was reading your “text book” comment. Over and over again..lol
That’s really funny Bluehender.
Ur right. Ur right. Ur right.
I know. I was joking bro lol
No problem 646
Just cancel the entire tournament. Why risk even the people who will be present at the games?
CORDER says full speed ahead. Co-vid 19 virus be damned. Co-Big Blue virus instead. As for me, I don’t care because I never listen to the TV play by play anyway. And someone will come up with an app for crowd noise – just wait and see.
I would like to see a risk/benefit assessment regarding the tournament. Yes, the participation numbers are large, but what is the projected impact on spreading the virus? Should movie houses be closed down? Gyms? Retail businesses? Is going to Costco, where there are thousands of customers entering and exiting throughout the day, inherently less dangerous than a basketball game? If there is empirical data to justify closing the NCAA tournament to fans, fine, but lets see something that makes that case.
Yes people go to Costco and movies and gyms but that is people who live in the same area. The problem here is you will have 8 sets of fans going to one city and then returning to the cities of their teams. I still think it is probably a little overreaction but I can see their concern as well.
Madness is rare in individuals, but in groups, states, and societies it’s the norm…Friedrich Neitzche.
He who has overcome his fears will truly be free…Aristotle.
If you don’t live your life, it’s like you’re already dead…me.
U don’t get Aristotle in a sports post every day, well done! I’ve got to up my game.
Lol that was a good one!!!!
If dumbass Trump had not fired the CDC pandemic team, or cut the CDC we would not be in such a mess. A lot of the blame on how this is progressing falls on him
Exactly Jet
The most Ill-informed and idiotic post ever . It isn’t true and his been debunked and laughed at when someone has been ignorant enough to say it , or believe it.
https://apnews.com/d36d6c4de29f4d04beda3db00cb46104
“Trump fired the entire pandemic response team two years ago and then didn’t replace them.”
This is true. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/trump-fire-pandemic-team/
BY FAR the dumbest comment I’ve ever read on KSR. It’s ALL Trumps fault. LMAO
This is maybe the dumbest comment I have seen on this virus crap and that is saying a lot!!
Did you really need to post that four times?! Text book knowledge has its limits when it comes to common sense… you’re a prime example of that obviously… how many more books do you want us to read so that we can be on your level of expertise… you regurgitate the same thing on every thread…
That was intended for 4Ever
Try reading Kalifornia, I only posted that comment once, I have no idea why it posted 4 times. I’m no expert on anything but I do go outside the MSM to research, you should try it, maybe you might wake up that things are not as they seem. What I stated is fact that even you can look verify if you get off your butt and put down the bong.
He’s already addressed that above..
He’s already addressed that above…
He’s already addressed that above
Might try using some common sense instead of believing everything you see on the nightly news or read in the papers.
“Continue to monitor and make adjustments as needed”
Right on Miller… Final Four is still 21 days away
That bum!
This thing has officially jumped the shark! Frickin’ ridiculous! And, congratulations, media! You’ve been trying to talk the economy down since 2016 and it finally worked…
Dude…it’s a worldwide issue. Not everything revolves around the US and not every problem in the world is a media conspiracy against Trump
Stl, you’re wrong…yes, pretty much the whole world revolves around the US. Some countries love us and kiss our ass then others want to kill us all. As far as conspiracies go, the media creates all of them to place all blame on Trump. I’m a republican yes but I’m not a huge Trump supporter either. If we could get Bill Clinton back in office tomorrow he would get my vote but this “new” liberal/democrat party makes me sick. The democrat party used to stand for the workin man but boy has that changed. Now they’re the party for handouts and non workers.
If this was just the media trying to mess with trump I dont think 5 of biggest allies in Congress and his new chief of staff would be self quarantining due to being exposed at CPAC. If they believed this was a vast democrat conspiracy I doubt they would bother self quarantining.
The media are not cancelling these events. You think the libs shut down all the events in China and quarantined Italy? No! Its medical experts, scientists and politicians, including Republicans. It’s logical people who look at facts and analyze data. It’s people who cant be liable for neglect or hosting an event during a confirmed communicable disease pandemic.
It’s not a conspiracy. You realize that the people who tell you it’s media bias and a conspiracy are themselves the media? Think about that. They ceaselessly spread this “It’s us vs. them” narrative to weak-minded individuals just so you stay scared and angry and united in blissful stubborn stupidity. Meanwhile the divide is widening and destroying this Country.
The crazy part is most of you whack jobs will end up with coronavirus and still think its a hoax.
Thank you TonyMo. Well said. Finally, a voice of reason in the desert of politicobabble.
If you don’t think this country is under constant attack by leftists and their propaganda arm, you’re either blind or one of them…
This just pretty much hurt our team the most over all. From a handicapping perspective this is the worst luck ever . I just placed a wager on this team … now this lol f our lives
I disagree. I know BBN is important, but on the flip side, we now won’t have every other team’s fans hanging up and cheering against us.
Fear is a powerful weapon and the CoronaVirus has certainly weaponized fear. I can’t think of a more ridiculous response than this. The world has completely gone mad. Never fear the NCAA will still make a killing on TV revenue. I suspect the price for advertising just went up. Viewership will be through the roof. I feel bad for anyone who was planning to travel to games.
A dumbass is a dumbass….. I know some don’t realize just how stupid and selfish they are, but my goodness you are embarrassing to humanity!
I just wonder if it will be televised. I assume that it will
That’s a pretty good assumption
No it will not, the virus can be spread through smart TV’s
LMAO
Just cancel the damn thing- country has gone mad.
One could argue that the risks of infection might be small and that would be wrong. with that aside, from the NCAA perspective, the legal consequences and monetary liability for those who could die would be huge. You might even say bigly.
Incredibly, that could be the reason they are doing this. But how in the world could anyone prove they contracted the virus at the NCAA tournament? Be just as easy to get it..anywhere you venture out.
Well…. There’s no liability for voluntarily attending a sporting event with notices everywhere. U can’t prove where u got it, and as a venue owner I have to make sure it doesn’t collapse and the food isn’t poison not that the guy next to u doesn’t hv the sniffles.
I’ll just leave you with this quote, it’s a real quote anyone can look it up.
“We are on the verge of a global transformation. All we need is the right major crisis, and the nations will accept the New World Order.” – David Rockefeller
Scary stuff
I wish I did smoke weed so I could check out from all of your regurgitated comments… being a scholar is more than just reading books… there really is no point in trying to reason with you… Hurts to think to think of you as a KY bball fan… I thought Hoosiers were the only folk that didn’t use their prefrontal cortex… go figure
Maybe you should try putting down the crack pipe, you sound like a self righteous dookie. I never said I was a scholar, guess you can’t read. You might want to detox and try thinking for yourself instead of all the indoctrination you’ve been fed.
Put down the crack pipe… really?!? That’s the best you can come up with? Guess you got me there… you didn’t have to say you were scholarly… all of your comments refer to reading books or watching multiple news outlets as if you don’t do those things then you’re not smart enough to debate with you… Pete, meet repeat… boring
Liberals ruin everything they touch.
So are these the liberals here or in Italy? Trying to figure out how them bad ‘old Dems are shutting down another country too. Jeez the politicization in this country is just sad. This is just a preventative measure for something that is new and without a vaccine and has shown the ability to spread pretty easily.
WTF???!!!! The power of the media.
If u needed another reason to get rid of Mark Emmert, this chicken little candy a$$ reactionary nonsense is icing on the cake. His beloved UNCheat Tar Heels aren’t going anyway so why not crater it for everyone.
Are the concessions going to be open or do family’s bring a sack lunch?
Always interesting to see that all of the brilliant coaches, politicians, and otherwise genius people who comment here are also trained medical doctors and virologists.
You sir, are my hero. Haha.
Media fear mongering wins again. Stop with this nonsense.
Close access to all media except TV crews and sit back and watch how quickly the narrative changes. I cant believe this shit.
Absolute joke. I’m a democrat and I’ll be the first to admit it’s the far left nutcases that love this.
No one loves this. It sucks. Until there is a cure or a vaccine, it is selfish to put others at risk just because you don’t care.
On the bright side… not going to the Final Four just saved me $2000 in flights, tickets, hotels, beer and food…
The freaking Liberal fake news organizations have blown everything out of proportion. Where was the media during the swine flue?
Let’s just watch reruns of the 2012 tournament.
No doctor will ever tell you to just shake off a scratch or a bruise, or rub some dirt on it and move on. No lawyer will ever tell you to ignore a meaningless law. No insurance agent will tell you that you have enough coverage.
https://silkroadsandsiamesesmiles.com/2020/03/12/stop-fear-mongering-with-covid19/