Entire 2021 NCAA tourney to be held at one location

[Kevin Bryan]

Sounds like Indy is top choice, which was the scheduled site for the Final Four this season anyway.

"My committee colleagues and I did not come lightly to the difficult decision to relocate the preliminary rounds of the 2021 tournament, as we understand the disappointment 13 communities will feel to miss out on being part of March Madness next year," said Mitch Barnhart, chair of the Division I Men's Basketball Committee and University of Kentucky athletic director, in the announcement. "With the University of Kentucky slated to host first- and second-round games in March, this is something that directly impacts our school and community, so we certainly share in their regret. The committee and staff deeply appreciate the efforts of all the host institutions and conferences, and we look forward to bringing the tournament back to the impacted sites in future years."

Click Me

 

[JimboBBN]

Ivy League is still the only conference to opt out, right? They still wanting to do 68?

One more at large instead of the Ivy League champion. Sounds like they are at least optimistic it will happen.

 

[829305]

I like it. Would love for it to make the tourney last longer, too, or maybe games spread out even more throughout the day. Morning games and whatnot. All for it.

 

[I am stupid]

Sign me up for the tickets waiting list.

 

[lurkeraspect84]

Whew, I was worried UK might not have the most fans.

 

[Random UK Fan]

The local prostitutes are going to need to ice down with that many guys in town.

 

[GE Nole]

I like it. Pacers arena, colts stadium, IU could host some, Butler could host some. Similar to a World Cup. Pretty cool if you ask me.

 

[KUhawks34]

Glad to see they actually have a plan to ensure the tourney is played. I think this is good news.

 

[lurkeraspect84]

I like it. Pacers arena, colts stadium, IU could host some, Butler could host some. Similar to a World Cup. Pretty cool if you ask me.

50/1 UK will have to play in Assembly Hall.

 

[klize17]

I like it. Pacers arena, colts stadium, IU could host some, Butler could host some. Similar to a World Cup. Pretty cool if you ask me.

Sounds like the options will be Lucas Oil, Bankers Life, Hinkle, Coliseum, University of Indianapolis, Marian University, Assembly Hall and Mackey.

 

[GE Nole]

Sounds like the options will be Lucas Oil, Bankers Life, Hinkle, Coliseum, University of Indianapolis, Marian University, Assembly Hall and Mackey.

Love it.

 

[klize17]

Love it.

Would have been cool to see some of the old high school gyms get thrown in as well, but floor difference is hard to overcome for those gyms.

 

[Kevin Bryan]

Sounds like the options will be Lucas Oil, Bankers Life, Hinkle, Coliseum, University of Indianapolis, Marian University, Assembly Hall and Mackey.

Sounds like they want to stay in metro Indy, but I suppose they could use Mackey and AH if needed. I doubt it would be much of a logistical undertaking to bus a few teams an hour away.

 

[klize17]

Sounds like they want to stay in metro Indy, but I suppose they could use Mackey and AH if needed. I doubt it would be much of a logistical undertaking to bus a few teams an hour away.

I'd assume the last two will be "if needed" but as you said an hour north and an hour south isn't bad if they have to.

 

[Villian07]

Any meantion of fans? Have to think it will be limited, if there are any at all.

 

[Kevin Bryan]

Any meantion of fans? Have to think it will be limited, if there are any at all.

It will already be a shit show, I say don't allow any fans. It's not fair to anybody if you only let in 10% capacity or something anyway. Who gets in then? Just the rich folk with connections and nobody else? The logistics and covid protocols will be a headache enough as is, no need to complicate it with fans. Just do the NBA bubble thing.

 

[FlGator22]

How are they going to keep these games from being dead silent? College doesn’t pipe in music. Some sort of neutral crowd buzz will be piped in?

 

[Kevin Bryan]

How are they going to keep these games from being dead silent? College doesn’t pipe in music. Some sort of neutral crowd buzz will be piped in?

Probably, just like the NBA playoffs were.

 

[lurkeraspect84]

How are they going to keep these games from being dead silent? College doesn’t pipe in music. Some sort of neutral crowd buzz will be piped in?

@UNC fans are experts on piping in crowd noise. Maybe they'll have some suggestions.

 

[Kevin Bryan]

@UNC fans are experts on piping in crowd noise. Maybe they'll have some suggestions.

I was going to say that.... but I didn't. 😆

 

[hawkit3113]

It should be held in Lexington

 

[Villian07]

Was thinking the yum center would be a nice location, doesn’t hold enough people though. The Indiana thing sounds like the best idea with the numberous venues to choose from.

 

[lurkeraspect84]

Was thinking the yum center would be a nice location, doesn’t hold enough people though. The Indiana thing sounds like the best idea with the numberous venues to choose from.

Keep in mind it don't have to be "venues". Practice facilities would work as well. ie Craft Center has two courts. Add Memorial, 3, Rupp, 4. I'm not advocating it be in Lex, as it would be a logistical nightmare for housing and such, but just pointing out they don't have to be played in Arenas.

 

[Kevin Bryan]

Keep in mind it don't have to be "venues". Practice facilities would work as well. ie Craft Center has two courts. Add Memorial, 3, Rupp, 4. I'm not advocating it be in Lex, as it would be a logistical nightmare for housing and such, but just pointing out they don't have to be played in Arenas.

Housing them would be pretty easy, IMO. Rent out a few hotels and each team is confined to a floor/wing with strict covid protocols and staff on hand to disinfect everything in common areas 24/7. Besides, half the teams will be gone by the first weekend.

 

[lurkeraspect84]

Anyway, they can pipe in Zoom/Skype/Facetime/etc noise?

Miss St. fans would probably ruin it with cowbells.

 

[IUBtown]

Any meantion of fans? Have to think it will be limited, if there are any at all.

really? One city for everything you think they’ll have fans?

 

[uncfan in ky]

@UNC fans are experts on piping in crowd noise. Maybe they'll have some suggestions.

You know that it’s a myth the UNC had the noise pipped in the arena?
A local tv station had noise pipped during the TV broadcast for games @ UNC, Wake & Duke.
UNC had no knowledge they were going to do it.

Kirschner's Corner - University of North Carolina Athletics

February 5, 1999Anytime the University of North Carolina athletic department, especially the Tar Heel mens basketball program, receives media attention it causes

goheels.com

The second local story that has stirred debate this week is the artificial crowd noise Vilcom experimented with earlier this season. Contrary to popular belief, Vilcom did this without asking the athletic departments opinion and did it in games played at the Smith Center AND at away games. Crowd noise was introduced into the broadcast in games the Tar Heels played at Cameron Indoor Stadium and Reynolds Coliseum. The idea, one that wisely has been scrapped, was to enhance the technological gizmos in the broadcast and make it more like the NFL on Fox TV. Fox has made a lot of money with explosions, high-tech wizardry and enhanced crowd effects. To add this to pre-game and post-game shows is one thing, to do it during the course of play-by-play action was something Vilcom found was not in anyones best interests.

 

[KENTUCKY_FLYER]

That's a lot of game for one location and not fair to the fans around the country not near the chosen location. Would seem better to have four locations, one in and for each region, then have the final four in Indy or LEXINGTON..

 

[IUBtown]

That's a lot of game for one location and not fair to the fans around the country not near the chosen location. Would seem better to have four locations, one in and for each region, then have the final four in Indy or LEXINGTON..

That would then defeat the whole purpose of keeping them in one general location. There won’t be fans so it doesn’t matter anyways. Indy area just had tons of options and had held big events. Lexington is more of a regional site if anything, they couldn’t handle the amount of games.

 

[Bert Higginbotha]

Hell the NCAA is in Indy, so hold the tourney in Indy and just announce the winner.

Ball State.

 

[KENTUCKY_FLYER]

That would then defeat the whole purpose of keeping them in one general location. There won’t be fans so it doesn’t matter anyways. Indy area just had tons of options and had held big events. Lexington is more of a regional site if anything, they couldn’t handle the amount of games.

It would defeat the purpose slightly. There would still only be a total of Five locations for the games as opposed to the usual 13 (I think). There will be limited fans allowed so teams in the 4 regional locations would be closer to home and some regionally local fans would be able to attend. Say the West was held in Las Vegas, then all fans of teams from the west coast would reasonable be able to attend. I cant see any one place being able to handle all the games unless they are planning to set up multiple courts in one location. There would be 5 bubbles for the player instead of one, that should be a big deal. Lexington as a FF option was just tongue in cheek, i realize that's not an option. West -Las Vegas, East - Madison Square Garden, South - Atlanta, Mid West - Minneapolis. FF Indy. If the whole thing is in Indy there are lots of teams fans from far away that would not have an option to attend if they wanted. UK fans could get to Indy easily but Florida fans might not. Hold it in Atlanta an that's doable for every SEC team.

 

[IUBtown]

It would defeat the purpose slightly. There would still only be a total of Five locations for the games as opposed to the usual 13 (I think). There will be limited fans allowed so teams in the 4 regional locations would be closer to home and some regionally local fans would be able to attend. Say the West was held in Las Vegas, then all fans of teams from the west coast would reasonable be able to attend. I cant see any one place being able to handle all the games unless they are planning to set up multiple courts in one location. There would be 5 bubbles for the player instead of one, that should be a big deal. Lexington as a FF option was just tongue in cheek, i realize that's not an option. West -Las Vegas, East - Madison Square Garden, South - Atlanta, Mid West - Minneapolis. FF Indy. If the whole thing is in Indy there are lots of teams fans from far away that would not have an option to attend if they wanted. UK fans could get to Indy easily but Florida fans might not. Hold it in Atlanta an that's doable for every SEC team.

There won’t be fans so it’s a mute point. That’s why things are getting shut down again. People think they can go out and do whatever.