NCAA confirms entire 2021 Tournament will be played in Indiana

It’s official: the entire 2021 NCAA Tournament will take place in Indiana, mostly in the city of Indianapolis.

While there are still details to be ironed out, including a complete schedule and whether or not fans are allowed, Selection Sunday is scheduled for March 14 and the Final Four is planned for April 3 and 5. Games will be played on two courts inside Lucas Oil Stadium, as well as Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indiana Farmers Coliseum, Mackey Arena in West Lafayette and Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington. Only one game at a time will be played at Lucas Oil Stadium.

🚨 TOURNAMENT UPDATE 🚨

In 49 states, it’s just basketball. But this is Indiana!

The entire 2021 NCAA Tournament will be played in Indiana.
👉 https://t.co/pGHfOjbm6n pic.twitter.com/OhWhkmX3RE

— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) January 4, 2021

The tournament will be hosted by Ball State, Butler, the Horizon League, Indiana, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and Purdue, which are lending their facilities and staffs to assist with tournament operations. The Indiana Convention Center will be used as a practice facility, with multiple courts set up inside the venue. Marriott properties, an official NCAA corporate partner, will house most of the tournament teams. The properties are connected to the convention center via skywalks and within a controlled environment. All teams will be housed on dedicated hotel floors, with physically distanced meeting and dining rooms, as well as secure transportation to and from competition venues. The NCAA is partnering with a local health provider to administer COVID-19 testing within the controlled environment for players, coaching staffs, administrators and officials.

“This is a historic moment for NCAA members and the state of Indiana,” NCAA President Mark Emmert said. “We have worked tirelessly to reimagine a tournament structure that maintains our unique championship opportunity for college athletes. The reality of today’s announcement was possible thanks to the tremendous leadership of our membership, local authorities and staff.”

“The 2021 version of March Madness will be one to remember, if for no other reason than the uniqueness of the event,” said NCAA Senior Vice President of Basketball Dan Gavitt. “With the direction of the Men’s Basketball Committee, we are making the most of the circumstances the global pandemic has presented. We’re fortunate to have neighbors and partners in Indianapolis and surrounding communities who not only love the game of basketball as much as anyone else in the country but have a storied history when it comes to staging major sporting events.

“This is going to be complicated and difficult; there’s no question about that. We appreciate the collaboration among the Men’s Basketball Committee and staff, our hosts and local organizers, the staffs at each practice and competition venue, and our broadcast and corporate partners. We will all pull together and stage a terrific national championship.”

As for fan attendance, the NCAA says that depends on the pandemic, but “a limited number of family members of each participating team’s student-athletes and coaches will be permitted to attend their team’s games.”

Hope the Cats make it.

[NCAA]