NCAA March Madness tournament to be held in Indiana
We have a pseudo-bubble!
The NCAA has announced that the entire 2021 NCAA March Madness tournament will be held in Indiana at a variety of venues throughout the state.
“This is a historic moment for NCAA members and the state of Indiana,” NCAA President Mark Emmert said. “We have worked tirelessly to reimagine a tournament structure that maintains our unique championship opportunity for college athletes. The reality of today’s announcement was possible thanks to the tremendous leadership of our membership, local authorities and staff.”
The NCAA is partnering with a local health provider to administer COVID-19 testing within the controlled environment for players, coaching staffs, administrators and officials. The Marion County Health Department has approved medical protocols shared by the NCAA and will continue collaborating with the NCAA leading up to and during the championship.
Games will be played at Lucas Oil Stadium, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indiana Farmers Coliseum, Mackey Arena, and Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. The host duties and operations will be spread across the multiple college campuses of Ball State, the Horizon League, Indiana, Indiana University, and Purdue University. Teams will practice inside the Indiana Convention Center with a multi-court setup.
“The 2021 version of March Madness will be one to remember, if for no other reason than the uniqueness of the event,” said NCAA Senior Vice President of Basketball Dan Gavitt. “With the direction of the Men’s Basketball Committee, we are making the most of the circumstances the global pandemic has presented. We’re fortunate to have neighbors and partners in Indianapolis and surrounding communities who not only love the game of basketball as much as anyone else in the country but have a storied history when it comes to staging major sporting events.
“This is going to be complicated and difficult; there’s no question about that. We appreciate the collaboration among the Men’s Basketball Committee and staff, our hosts and local organizers, the staffs at each practice and competition venue, and our broadcast and corporate partners. We will all pull together and stage a terrific national championship.”
I absolutely love this idea, can't wait to watch the tournament I personally think it is the best postseason in sports.
Small improvements over the Wyking era aside, unfortunately it doesn't appear that the site of the NCAAs will have any impact on Cal mens basketball for several years to come.