MAC, Big West Basketball Tournaments To Be Played Without Spectators
Mar 10, 2020, 5:52 PM
A basketball hoop, net and backboard are shown before a semifinal game of the West Coast Conference basketball tournament between the San Francisco Dons and the Gonzaga Bulldogs at the Orleans Arena on March 9, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Mid-American Conference and the Big West Conference have taken precautionary actions amid the Coronavirus outbreak in the United States prior to their Men’s and Women’s Conference Tournaments.
“Only credentialed institutional personnel, student-athlete family members, credentialed media, television and radio crews, and official team party members will be permitted for attendance for the tournaments. The MAC tournaments will be closed to the general public.” The MAC stated in a press release.
Official statement regarding upcoming MAC Men's and Women's Basketball Tournament pic.twitter.com/reCRnnd0ML
— #MACtion (@MACSports) March 10, 2020
Meanwhile, the Big West conference has also opted to play their basketball tournaments without any spectators.
“I’m sorry for the inconvenience this will cause our fans, but I do want to stress that all games will be televised on the ESPN family of networks,” said Big West Commissioner Dennis Farrell via a press release.
🚨The Big West Conference has announced that the league's basketball tournaments will be played without spectators as a precaution for preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
📰 » https://t.co/I0PtYUIqTP pic.twitter.com/Wkh8esQhzg
— Big West Conference (@BigWestSports) March 10, 2020
Those that have purchased tickets to either the MAC or Big West tournaments will receive a full refund from their respective points of purchase.
While the Pac-12 Conference has decided not to neglect its spectators for the upcoming Men’s basketball tournament hosted in Las Vegas, Nevada, they have released a press release informing those attending of some changes that they have made to the tournament.
The Pac-12 today issued the following update & statement on the upcoming men's basketball tournament. Full update & FAQ related to coronavirus (COVID-19) available below.
Update & FAQ ➡️ https://t.co/JexIrEJYQQ#Pac12Hoops
— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) March 10, 2020
The Pac-12 has limited the access to team locker rooms to student-athletes and essential staff only. The media will not be permitted to enter team locker rooms, rather, they will interview coaches and student-athletes at designates areas outside the locker room. They have rescheduled this year’s Pac-12 Hall of Honor induction ceremony and the activities surrounding it to 2021. The conference has also added an influx of enhanced cleaning protocols that include increased access to hand sanitizers throughout the arena, more frequent cleaning, and disinfectant procedures throughout the venue and heightened awareness of the protocols and procedures for addressing contagious diseases.
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The University of Utah’s first tournament game is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon at 1 p.m. against the Oregon State Beavers. The Utes are seeded ninth while the Beavers have the eighth seed. The Pac 12 Networks have the broadcast rights.
