NCAA Says 2021 Men’s March Madness Will Take Place In A Bubble In Indiana

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The NCAA says it hasn’t decided on whether any fans will be allowed to watch the men’s basketball tournament, which will center on Indianapolis. Here, cardboard placards populate Iowa’s Carver-Hawkeye Arena.





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Matthew Holst/Getty Images



Coronavirus Updates
NCAA Takes A Shot At Hosting 2021 Men’s March Madness Tournament In One Area

Most of the games will be played in Indianapolis, including on two courts inside Lucas Oil Stadium. Other games will be held in West Lafayette or Bloomington. As in recent years, March Madness will be televised and streamed by CBS Sports and Turner Sports.

The NCAA has also announced plans to hold the women’s tournament in March, with Final Four games taking place in San Antonio, Texas. The organization recently said it was in talks to hold the entire tournament in that same region, to reduce teams’ travel.

March Madness routinely brings thousands of screaming fans together in stadiums – but for now, only a limited number of players’ and coaches’ relatives will be allowed to attend their games. The NCAA says it is «closely monitoring the ongoing pandemic and will continue to work with local officials on whether fans will be allowed at the men’s tournament.

In addition to following safety protocols, the NCAA says its «Mask Madness program will donate thousands of masks in Indiana and promote health and safety practices.

The NCAA is hoping to avoid the setback it endured last March, when it was forced to cancel the Division I men’s and women’s college basketball tournaments along with other winter and spring sports championships, as many teams and conferences shut down their operations out of concern over the coronavirus.

«We have worked tirelessly to reimagine a tournament structure that maintains our unique championship opportunity for college athletes, NCAA President Mark Emmert said on Monday.

The tournament will be hosted by a number of local colleges and organizations, including Ball State, Butler, the Horizon League, Indiana, Purdue, and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.