NCAA Tournaments Canceled Over Coronavirus

ESPN:

The NCAA has called off its men’s and women’s basketball tournaments as part of a complete cancellation of all remaining spring and winter championships.

“This decision is based on the evolving COVID-19 public health threat, our ability to ensure the events do not contribute to spread of the pandemic, and the impracticality of hosting such events at any time during this academic year given ongoing decisions by other entities,” the NCAA said in a statement Thursday. […]

The men’s basketball tournament has been played every year since 1939, when Oregon won the championship in Evanston, Illinois. It has grown through the years, both in size and stature. The three-week tournament generates almost a billion dollars in revenue each year for the NCAA and its hundreds of member universities and colleges.

Just a few days ago they announced plans to hold the games in empty arenas. Things are escalating so fast it’s hard to keep up today. And while basketball is getting most of the attention, they’ve preemptively canceled the baseball and softball tournaments (along with other sports) that weren’t scheduled until June.

★ Thursday, 12 March 2020