Big Ten Conference will bar fans from basketball tournament after Wednesday games
The Big Ten Conferences is barring spectators from its men's basketball tournament -- after it has already begun.
The league announced the decision Wednesday evening amid fears over the spread of COVID-19, following the lead of other NCAA leagues that have either cancelled or altered the spectator policy for postseason tournaments leading into the start of March Madness.
The tournament is being played in Indianapolis, also the site of an NCAA tournament regional semifinal and final in two weeks.
"The Big Ten Conference announced this evening that beginning Thursday, March 12, 2020, attendance at all Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament games will be limited to student-athletes, coaches, event staff, essential team and Conference staff, TV network partners, credentialed media, and immediate family members of the participating teams," said a statement.
"Additionally, all further Big Ten Conference winter and spring sport competitions, including championship/tournament events, will also be limited to student-athletes, coaches, event staff, essential team and Conference staff, TV network partners, credentialed media, and immediate family members of the participating teams."
Northwestern was playing Minnesota when the announcement was made. Indiana was scheduled to play Nebraska later Wednesday.
The Big 12 joined the Big Ten Wednesday by announcing it would stop fans from atteneding after Wednesday's two games.
Earlier the NCAA announced all its men's and women's tournament games would be played without fans.
The wave of unprecedented changes began earlier this week when the Ivy League cancelled its postseason tournaments as a result of coronavirus precautions and will give its two regular-season champions — Yale for men's basketball and Princeton for women's basketball -— automatic bids to the NCAA tournament. Athletes on Ivy League men's and women's basketball teams started a petition, "Reinstate the Ivy League Tournament," in the wake of the league's decision.
Attendance at the Mid-American Conference tournament in Cleveland will be limited to "credentialed institutional personnel, student-athlete family members, credentialed media, television and radio crews, and official team party members," the conference said.
The Big West Conference is not allowing fans to attend its tournament, held on the campus of Long Beach State.