The NCAA has taken the drastic step of closing the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments to the public.
The governing body made the announcement on Wednesday afternoon as a precaution against the spread of the coronavirus.
“The NCAA continues to assess the impact of COVID-19 in consultation with public health officials and our COVID-19 advisory panel,” NCAA president Mark Emmert said in a statement. “Based on their advice and my discussions with the NCAA board of governors, I have made the decision to conduct our upcoming championship events, including the Division I men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, with only essential staff and limited family attendance.