Coronavirus has been steadily forcing more and more sports leagues and teams to consider alternate plans, with Thursday’s Nets-Warriors game in San Francisco now set to be played without fans, but the banning of fans for the entirety of the men’s and women’s NCAA basketball tournaments is the most significant development to date, and could be the beginning of a trend throughout sports in the United States.
“While I understand how disappointing this is for all fans of our sports, my decision is based on the current understanding of how COVID-19 is progressing in the United States,” Emmert said. “This decision is in the best interest of public health, including that of coaches, administrators, fans and, most importantly, our student-athletes.