The NCAA is detailing its plans to host the entire 2021 men’s basketball championship in Indiana. The Indianapolis-based organization says the majority of the 67 March Madness games will take place in Indy, with more being held in West Lafayette and Bloomington, before the previously-scheduled Final Four at Lucas Oil Stadium in the first weekend in April. NCAA President Mark Emmert called the move “a historic moment for NCAA members and the state of Indiana.”
The NCAA says the games will be played on two courts at Lucas Oil Stadium, as well as Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse, and the Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indy. Additionally, games will be held at Mackey Arena on the Purdue University campus and Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall at Indiana University.
The Indiana Convention Center will be used as a practice facility with multiple courts.
The tournament will be held in a “bubble” similar to the NBA’s previous season in Orlando. Several Marriott hotel properties, which are connected to the convention center, will house most of the teams in the tournament on dedicated floors with physically distanced meeting and dining rooms.
“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,” said Dan Gavitt, senior vice president of basketball for the NCAA. “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.”
The NCAA says its medical protocols have been approved by the Marion County Health Department. The organization is partnering with a local health provider to administer COVID-19 testing for players, coaching staff, administrators and officials.
“Our NCAA advisory panel, our medical experts from across the country, they’ve all been working incredibly hard on this tirelessly to make sure that all of our decisions are informed by the best and most current medical advice,” said Emmert. “I think it’s also important to note that we’re not naive about how hard this is going to be. “We’ve learned a lot over the past months. We’ve talked to everybody that’s been running these events across the country. The science and the discipline and the care that needs to be brought to bear is going to be brought to bear.”
A limited number of family members of the participating teams’ student-athletes and coaches will be allowed to attend their team’s games. The NCAA says it will work with local officials to determine whether fans will be allowed at the games.
Selection Sunday for the tournament will take place March 14 and the exact preliminary round dates will be announced at a later date.