NCAA President Mark Emmert releases a statement noting that after advice and discussions with the NCAA Board of Governors, he has made the decision to conduct upcoming events, including the Division 1 men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, with only essential staff and limited family attendance.
Below is a statement from the NCAA COVID-19 Advisory Panel on NCAA events
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, 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 the players, employees, and fans.
