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Starting next week, college basketball will accomplish something it has never done—or even contemplated.
The Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, normally played in 13 cities across the country, will be hosted entirely within the state of Indiana, with most of the event’s 67 games played in Indianapolis.
College athletes from all over the country will be welcomed with Hoosier hospitality as they take part in a never-before-seen championship experience. It will be different for those competing this year due to health requirements, but we’re confident it will be a truly memorable experience, nonetheless.
As fellow Hoosiers, we at the NCAA are so proud that the crowning achievement of college basketball will take place exclusively in a state with a rich and storied basketball tradition—a state we call home as NCAA employees.
But we know we cannot do it alone.
We are able to take advantage of this opportunity because of the partnership with Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett, Indiana University Health, Indiana Sports Corp., Visit Indy, and the health departments in Marion, Monroe and Tippecanoe counties.
Without strong leadership from our government, business, health and community partners, the 2021 tournament tipoff would not be possible. We thank each of them for the work they’ve done to make this possible for our member schools and, most important, for student-athletes.
To be clear, when we began discussing last year a single site for the men’s basketball tournament, we all knew how uniquely positioned Indianapolis was to take on the challenge. The city has extensive experience in hosting Final Fours—both men’s and women’s—along with every other round of the tournaments.
For us, the connection between the tournament and the host schools and conferences is always important. Because of this year’s one-of-a-kind approach to March Madness, we have many NCAA member schools and conferences assisting with tournament operations and execution. We thank Ball State, Butler, Indiana State, the Horizon League, Indiana University-Bloomington, IUPUI and Purdue for all the work they have done and will continue to do to make this tournament successful.
I also want to thank the city of Evansville, Mayor Lloyd Winnecke, the Vanderburgh County Health Department, the University of Southern Indiana and the Evansville Sports Corp. for their partnership in hosting the Division II Men’s Basketball Championship Elite Eight this month. Their efforts deserve our recognition as they work to provide a safe and memorable experience for participants in this championship, which only adds to the fact that Indiana is the capital of men’s college basketball this spring.
The pandemic has created profound change. Just a year ago, we understood that the most responsible course of action was to cancel the tournament. As we recently announced, fan attendance for the 2021 tournament will be far reduced, with each facility limited to not more than 25% of capacity, with physical distancing and masking required. We are thrilled to provide student-athletes the opportunity to safely compete again, even if it won’t look the same as in years past.
Our top priority continues to be the health and safety of everyone participating in the event, whether it’s student-athletes, coaches, officials or other essential workers contributing to the tournament’s success. We will continue to follow the protocols developed in conjunction with local public health officials for testing, physical distancing and contact tracing.
With the health and safety protocols in place, we know the championship experience won’t be the same for the students competing or their coaches, but our staff and corporate partners are working to provide unique experiences for participating teams that might not have been possible in a tournament spread throughout the country. We know our partners throughout the state, and particularly here in Indianapolis, will help us make championship dreams come true for hundreds of college athletes and their families.
As we embark on this exciting journey, we hope the community of Indianapolis can play a part in this event, even if it’s not at the usual fan-favorite Final Four events or from the stands cheering on their favorite teams.
Third-graders all over the state have been reading and logging their minutes as they compete for a top spot for their school in the Read to the Final Four competition, which we hope inspires a lifelong love of reading. Additionally, beginning this month, the annual legacy project will bring renovations to the Indianapolis Boys & Girls Club-LeGore Unit, including floor refinishing, a new scoreboard and other court upgrades we hope will serve the children of southwestern Indianapolis.
This year’s March Madness and Final Four will be like no other, that is certain. We are confident that Indiana will help us execute a safe, fun and historic event that will give college basketball fans all over the country reasons to celebrate.•
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Emmert is president of the NCAA.
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This is what happens when all parties are willing to work together. Outstanding work to all of you! #AStateThatWorks