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NCAA announces March Madness Dates/Venues. 1st Four games Thur March 18. Prime-time Elite 8 Games at Lucas Oil Stadium

Franisdaman

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Selection Sunday: Sunday March 14.

First 4: Thur March 18 (Mackey Arena & Assembly Hall)
First Round: Fri Mar 19 & Sat Mar 20 (Mackey Arena, Assembly Hall, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indiana Farmers Coliseum & Lucas Oil Stadium)
Second Round: Sun Mar 21 & Mon Mar 22 (Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indiana Farmers Coliseum & Lucas Oil Stadium)
...............................................................................
Sweet 16: Sat Mar 27 and Sun Mar 28 (Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse)
Elite 8: Mon Mar 29 & Tues Mar 30 (Lucas Oil Stadium)
...............................................................................
Final Four: Sat April 3 (Lucas Oil Stadium)
National Championship: Mon April 5 (Lucas Oil Stadium)


All games (except for First Four) are at four Indy sites.

All Sweet 16 games will be standalone games.

Prime-time Elite 8 games are at Lucas Oil Stadium.

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Whoa! So Thursday-Monday instead of Thursday-Sunday.. ok ok

big ten tournament teams have to be staying that whole week after conf tourney correct?
 
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Whoa! So Thursday-Monday instead of Thursday-Sunday.. ok ok

big ten tournament teams have to be staying that whole week after conf tourney correct?

Looks like 10 (or so) B1G teams make the Big Dance so if the BTT is indeed held in Indy, I think that's a big advantage for those B1G teams; they can just stay put.

I updated the orig post with the days. Not sure why they are not playing on the traditional Th/Fri/Sat/Sun. The Sweet 16 & Elite 8 dates are really bizarre, too.

Selection Sunday: Sunday March 14.

First 4: Thur March 18 (Mackey Arena & Assembly Hall)
First Round: Fri Mar 19 & Sat Mar 20 (Mackey Arena, Assembly Hall, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indiana Farmers Coliseum & Lucas Oil Stadium)
Second Round: Sun Mar 21 & Mon Mar 22 (Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indiana Farmers Coliseum & Lucas Oil Stadium)
...............................................................................
Sweet 16: Sat Mar 27 and Sun Mar 28 (Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse)
Elite 8: Mon Mar 29 & Tues Mar 30 (Lucas Oil Stadium)
...............................................................................
Final Four: Sat April 3 (Lucas Oil Stadium)
National Championship: Mon April 5 (Lucas Oil Stadium)
 
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Looks like 10 (or so) B1G teams make the Big Dance so if the BTT is indeed held in Indy, I think that's a big advantage for those B1G teams; they can just stay put.

I updated the orig post with the days. Not sure why they are not playing on the traditional Th/Fri/Sat/Sun. The Sweet 16 & Elite 8 dates are really bizarre, too.

Selection Sunday: Sunday March 14.

First 4: Thur March 18.
First Round: Fri Mar 19 & Sat Mar 20
Second Round: Sun Mar 21 & Mon Mar 22
Sweet 16: Sat Mar 27 and Sun Mar 28
Elite 8: Mon Mar 29 & Tues Mar 30
Final Four: Sat April 3
National Championship: Mon April 5

Only a guess, but probably extra days for testing to make sure that only COVID-free players are participating. My guess is players will have to arrive several days before their first game, go through testing and be in a bubble from then on. Players who test positive, it sucks but they will be done. Then more time between end of second round and Sweet 16 to allow for any games from the first two rounds that get delayed for any reason.
 
They should have sat on this for a couple weeks,.. would not be surprised to see it get moved.
Agreed. What's the rush?

Yesterday, Villanova played their first game in 27 days (they had 6 games postponed).

Drake is in the middle of 5 straight games being postponed.

Iowa, of course, has had 2 games so far postponed.

March 7 is last day of B1G regular season.

March 10-14 is the B1G Tournament

March 14 is Selection Sunday

Thur March 18 are the First 4 games of the NCAA Tournament.

There is not much wiggle room for these covid issues. At all.


Iowa's 13 Remaining Regular Season Games:
Jan 21 vs Indiana
Jan 29 at Illinois
Feb 4 vs Ohio State
Feb 7 at Indiana
Feb 10 vs Rutgers
Feb 13 at Michigan State
Feb 18 at Wisconsin
Feb 21 vs Penn State
Feb 28 at Ohio State
March 4 at Michigan
March 7 vs Wisconsin

vs Michigan State (Jan 14 game POSTPONED due to MSU covid issues)
vs Nebraska (Jan 24 game POSTPONED due to Nebby covid issues)
 
I think they didn't push it back a week, because they are ok with not having conference tournaments. They want to get to the BIG PAY DAY ASAP!
 
Reminds me vaguely of the Big Ten's premature cancellation of the football season,.. If we've learned anything about how to function during this pandemic it's that things are constantly changing so don't make decisions any sooner than you have to....
 
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Some great venues in there
yep; I sifted thru all the info & updated orig post w/ what follows. its interesting that starting w/ the Elite 8, all games are at Lucas Oil


First 4: Thur March 18 (Mackey Arena & Assembly Hall)
First Round: Fri Mar 19 & Sat Mar 20 (Mackey Arena, Assembly Hall, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indiana Farmers Coliseum & Lucas Oil Stadium)
Second Round: Sun Mar 21 & Mon Mar 22 (Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indiana Farmers Coliseum & Lucas Oil Stadium)
...............................................................................
Sweet 16: Sat Mar 27 and Sun Mar 28 (Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse)
Elite 8: Mon Mar 29 & Tues Mar 30 (Lucas Oil Stadium)
...............................................................................
Final Four: Sat April 3 (Lucas Oil Stadium)
National Championship: Mon April 5 (Lucas Oil Stadium)
 
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16 of the 44 games are postponed tonight. I don’t think I’ve seen a percentage that high. Really wish they would have put a buffer week in there.
 
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16 of the 44 games are postponed tonight. I don’t think I’ve seen a percentage that high. Really wish they would have put a buffer week in there.

For those schools holding classes on campus and not virtual, kids are returning to campus after break, so stands to reason you are going to see a spike up.
 
TV is the CASH COW! People in the stands make minimal revenue for the NCAA.

Not talking about the NCAA rake,.. The vast majority of the money spent during March Madness goes towards tickets, travel, lodging, food, drinks, entertainment and betting,.. Most of this spending won't happen at all, while the remainder that does will be seriously reduced..
 
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Not talking about the NCAA rake,.. The vast majority of the money is spent during March Madness goes towards tickets, travel, lodging, food, drinks, entertainment and betting,.. Most of this spending won't happen at all, while the remainder that does will be seriously reduced..

My original comment was about the NCAA not pushing the tournament back because they WANT THEIR PAY DAY ASAP! And they will get it as long as their is a tournament! The tickets, travel, lodging, food, drinks is PEANUTS to what the NCAA will get by having the tournament. The betting angle won't change because there is going to be a tournament.
 
Agreed. What's the rush?

Yesterday, Villanova played their first game in 27 days (they had 6 games postponed).

Drake is in the middle of 5 straight games being postponed.

Iowa, of course, has had 2 games so far postponed.

March 7 is last day of B1G regular season.

March 10-14 is the B1G Tournament

March 14 is Selection Sunday

Thur March 18 are the First 4 games of the NCAA Tournament.

There is not much wiggle room for these covid issues. At all.


Iowa's 13 Remaining Regular Season Games:
Jan 21 vs Indiana
Jan 29 at Illinois
Feb 4 vs Ohio State
Feb 7 at Indiana
Feb 10 vs Rutgers
Feb 13 at Michigan State
Feb 18 at Wisconsin
Feb 21 vs Penn State
Feb 28 at Ohio State
March 4 at Michigan
March 7 vs Wisconsin

vs Michigan State (Jan 14 game POSTPONED due to MSU covid issues)
vs Nebraska (Jan 24 game POSTPONED due to Nebby covid issues)
My guess is they're hoping to get either Nebraska/MSU rescheduled between the Indiana/Illinois games, and the PSU/OSU games.
 
Kinda surprised they included Lucas Oil Stadium, rather than South Bend (Notre Dame), at least for the early rounds.

With no fans, why do they need to utilize such a giant empty venue?

Honestly, the final games should be held in Bankers Life Fieldhouse because of that fact alone.
 
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