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The 2020 NCAA Tournament will be unlike any other in the history of men’s or women’s basketball.
Amid concerns surrounding COVID-19, both the men’s and women’s tournaments will be held without fans, with only essential personnel and limited family members allowed in attendance, NCAA president Mark Emmert announced Wednesday afternoon.
NCAA President Mark Emmert statement on limiting attendance at NCAA events: https://t.co/TIHHJjdse5 pic.twitter.com/8I1HdceDfN
— NCAA (@NCAA) March 11, 2020
It has yet to be determined whether media will be allowed to attend, though the tournament will still be televised.
In addition to the basketball tournaments, fans will be unable to attend all championship events moving forward, per the statement. The decision comes after the World Health Organization declared coronavirus a pandemic Wednesday morning.
The Big Ten said earlier Wednesday that the league will still allow fans to attend its tournament in Indianapolis, though there will be no media locker room access. The conference has now said that fans will be unable to attend games starting on Thursday.
This article will be updated as more information is released.