The NCAA said it is having "preliminary talks" with Indianapolis and the state of Indiana about hosting the entire NCAA Tournament next spring after deciding to cancel all its first-weekend and regional final sites.
The NCAA said its Division I men's basketball committee decided that having March Madness spread at 13 different preliminary sites around the country would be "very difficult to execute in the current pandemic environment" and believes it would be safer to have all of it held in a single geographic area.
Indianapolis was already scheduled to host the menβs Final Four from April 3-5, 2021, and is the home of NCAA headquarters.
βMy 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,β said Kentucky AD Mitch Barnhart, this season's basketball committee chair. βWith 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.β
The NCAA said its committee found having the tournament all in one geographic area would limit travel and make a safer, more controlled environment where games and practices could be held near hotels and medical facilities.
βWe have learned so much from monitoring other successful sporting events in the last several months, and it became clear itβs not feasible to manage this complex championship in so many different states with the challenges presented by the pandemic,β said Dan Gavitt, NCAA senior VP of Basketball. βHowever, we are developing a solid plan to present a safe, responsible and fantastic March Madness tournament unlike any other weβve experienced.β
