Fans not allowed at March Madness as coronavirus spreads, NCAA says

[Atomic Kid]

Fans not allowed at March Madness as coronavirus spreads, NCAA says - CNN

The NCAA announced Wednesday that March Madness will go on as planned, but fans won't be allowed to attend because of concerns over the coronavirus outbreak.

Only essential staff members and family members can attend, the NCAA said in its statement, which came just hours after the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, known as Covid-19, a pandemic.
"This decision is in the best interest of public health, including that of coaches, administrators, fans and, most importantly, our student-athletes," NCAA President Mark Emmert said in a statement. "We recognize the opportunity to compete in an NCAA national championship is an experience of a lifetime for the students and their families."
With the tournament less than a week away, the NCAA had been looking into alternative plans to keep the disease from spreading at its games.
Emmert said the NCAA made its choice after consulting with public health officials and a NCAA-appointed coronavirus advisory panel. There are now more than 1,100 cases of the novel coronavirus reported in the United States.

The local economies of the cities hosting the NCAA Tournament are going to be taking a hit on this one. That's a lot of money that won't be coming in.

 

[Drawdown]

Free throws will be boring without the fans

 

[humbolt]

We'll call it March Sadness, then.

 

[ttwtt78640]

Fans not allowed at March Madness as coronavirus spreads, NCAA says - CNN



The local economies of the cities hosting the NCAA Tournament are going to be taking a hit on this one. That's a lot of money that won't be coming in.

It seems very odd to consider sports broadcasters as essential staff - but I guess getting that big money is just too much to sacrifice in order to help save lives.

BTW, what made the NCAA think that players' family members are not just as likely to have been exposed to (thus carriers of) COVID-19 as the general population?

 

[Helix]

not that i think it's a bad idea, but the lack of people congregating is going to affect a lot of industries.

 

[Atomic Kid]

Free throws will be boring without the fans

Believe they still intend to televise the games. It's going to be weird though. Maybe they will 'pipe in' some fan noise. Who knows?

 

[Atomic Kid]

It seems very odd to consider sports broadcasters as essential staff - but I guess getting that big money is just too much to sacrifice in order to help save lives.

BTW, what made the NCAA think that players' family members are not just as likely to have been exposed to (thus carriers of) COVID-19 as the general population?

I think you may have misread it. "The NCAA Covid-19 advisory panel recommended that all upcoming sporting events also be held without spectators." The TV and media people are going take a hit with lower revenue from advertising sales I'm sure

 

[Cougarbear]

Fans not allowed at March Madness as coronavirus spreads, NCAA says - CNN



The local economies of the cities hosting the NCAA Tournament are going to be taking a hit on this one. That's a lot of money that won't be coming in.

This is dumb. I'm tired of the left getting hold of things like this and blowing them out of proportion. Did the NCAA do this in 2009 for the H1N1 Swine Flu where 14,000 people of all ages died? NOPE! Why now? The CoronaVirus 19 hasn't shown to be deadly to young healthy fans. If the older people who have some underlying conditions that would be susceptible to death with the virus, then they can just stay away. Let the people decide their own fate. Stop the Government from trying to protect us from everything. Life is a risk. Getting in your car and driving is a bigger risk than this virus or even the H1N1. Madness! Nothing but socialists who hate capitalism are spreading unwarranted fears.

 

[ttwtt78640]

I think you may have misread it. "The NCAA Covid-19 advisory panel recommended that all upcoming sporting events also be held without spectators."

Nope, just without VIP spectators.

 

[Cougarbear]

not that i think it's a bad idea, but the lack of people congregating is going to affect a lot of industries.

Why is it a good idea?

 

[Cougarbear]

It seems very odd to consider sports broadcasters as essential staff - but I guess getting that big money is just too much to sacrifice in order to help save lives.

BTW, what made the NCAA think that players' family members are not just as likely to have been exposed to (thus carriers of) COVID-19 as the general population?

Socialists! They lie and lie and lie to kill off capitalism. That's what this is all about.

 

[Cougarbear]

We'll call it March Sadness, then.

I still call it March Madness for a different reason. This is the sick kind of madness that is being inflicted on the people. It's causing unwarranted fears.

 

[Cougarbear]

Believe they still intend to televise the games. It's going to be weird though. Maybe they will 'pipe in' some fan noise. Who knows?

I'd like to see all the fans show up and force their way in. It's up to individuals if they want to be there and be susceptible to the virus. This is dumb.

 

[Drawdown]

Believe they still intend to televise the games. It's going to be weird though. Maybe they will 'pipe in' some fan noise. Who knows?

LOL. Have a bunch of TVs in the stands with people watching online's reactions. Kind of reverse the watch party thing.

 

[Helix]

Why is it a good idea?

generally, during a pandemic, one would find it prudent to discourage non-essential crowd events. you know, sort of like if your neighborhood was a potential inferno, you wouldn't invite the gang over for an oily rag party even if you normally do that in March.

 

[Atomic Kid]

This is dumb. I'm tired of the left getting hold of things like this and blowing them out of proportion. Did the NCAA do this in 2009 for the H1N1 Swine Flu where 14,000 people of all ages died? NOPE! Why now? The CoronaVirus 19 hasn't shown to be deadly to young healthy fans. If the older people who have some underlying conditions that would be susceptible to death with the virus, then they can just stay away. Let the people decide their own fate. Stop the Government from trying to protect us from everything. Life is a risk. Getting in your car and driving is a bigger risk than this virus or even the H1N1. Madness! Nothing but socialists who hate capitalism are spreading unwarranted fears.

Seeing as though the H1N1 Swine Flu didn't first appear in the US until April 2009. Ummm....nope. They didn't have to. Since the tournament had been played. Got anything else?

 

[Atomic Kid]

I'd like to see all the fans show up and force their way in. It's up to individuals if they want to be there and be susceptible to the virus. This is dumb.

I believe you would like to see something like that. :roll:

 

[Cougarbear]

generally, during a pandemic, one would find it prudent to discourage non-essential crowd events. you know, sort of like if your neighborhood was a potential inferno, you wouldn't invite the gang over for an oily rag party even if you normally do that in March.

Pandemic? Not in the U.S. It's also known that the virus kills elderly people with immune deficiencies. Not healthy people. Most of those who have it have symptoms of less than the common cold. Just because the WHO, an arm of the corrupted U.N., says it is doesn't mean we have to shut everything down. Did we shut down athletic events in 2009 for the Swine Flu? Heck, Obama-Biden did nothing about it. 14,000 people died. We aren't close to that. Get a grip people!!! Stop hording the toilet paper!

 

[Cougarbear]

LOL. Have a bunch of TVs in the stands with people watching online's reactions. Kind of reverse the watch party thing.

We could all send our Iphones and put it on face time! We could still make noise and see the game! This is nuts!!! We are becoming a wimpy society. If North Korea were to attack, they would win. We are wimps.

 

[dcsports]

Believe they still intend to televise the games. It's going to be weird though. Maybe they will 'pipe in' some fan noise. Who knows?

I imagine it will be very surreal for the teams. College basketball teams, especially good ones, are used to playing to a loud crowd. It will be strange to play the biggest game(s) of their college career to an empty arena.

 

[Erod]

Congratulations, China!

You know they're giggling like school girls over this.

Look at us. The Chinese coronavirus has dropped us to our knees.

 

[Atomic Kid]

Pandemic? Not in the U.S. It's also known that the virus kills elderly people with immune deficiencies. Not healthy people. Most of those who have it have symptoms of less than the common cold. Just because the WHO, an arm of the corrupted U.N., says it is doesn't mean we have to shut everything down. Did we shut down athletic events in 2009 for the Swine Flu? Heck, Obama-Biden did nothing about it. 14,000 people died. We aren't close to that. Get a grip people!!! Stop hording the toilet paper!

You obviously don't know what a pandemic is.

 

[Atomic Kid]

Congratulations, China!

You know they're giggling like school girls over this.

Look at us. The Chinese coronavirus has dropped us to our knees.

I doubt it. They love basketball over there.

 

[Rexedgar]

I think you may have misread it. "The NCAA Covid-19 advisory panel recommended that all upcoming sporting events also be held without spectators." The TV and media people are going take a hit with lower revenue from advertising sales I'm sure

I’m betting that the majority of the ads have been sold........

 

[Atomic Kid]

I’m betting that the majority of the ads have been sold........

I'm not entirely sure how that works. But I would think the pricing in those contracts would be based upon expected viewer ratings that were calculated on the performance of past tournaments. I would think it would appear that they clearly won't be hitting those marks this year.