Sports activities in the United States are beginning to pick up the pieces after a pretty rough 2020 thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. While things are yet to fully return to the way they were before COVID-19 hit, there is a lot of optimism for lots of things and one of the areas that many people have their eyes set on is college basketball.

Just like many other social activities, the 2021 NCAA tournament, otherwise referred to as March Madness has made great progress. That said, the highly-anticipated return of the college basketball tournament is right around the corner and there are lots of great things to look forward to, not least what Vegas have to say about the betting odds this year, especially for the readers looking to bet on March Madness.

If you are still wondering what you can expect from the series, we are going to help by breaking down some of the most important things you should know about this year’s March Madness. Hopefully, we will have answers to just about all of the questions you may have.

The Venue

In early January, the NCAA formally announced that it would be hosting the entire Division I men’s basketball tournament in Indianapolis and surrounding areas. Naturally, this was deemed to be a rather unprecedented decision particularly because of the prevailing situations at the time. That is, the state had just reported over 3,6000 new cases and 39 more deaths due to the virus.

Even so, it seems like the decision was well informed especially considering the fact that the numbers of coronavirus cases have exhibited notable drops. The venue is always a big part of March Madness and by choosing to go with central Indiana, the association certainly has a lot of things planned out.

The Full Schedule

Despite its utter craziness, the official dates for the 2021 NCAA Tournament were officially released in mid-January 2021 and they are every bit as exciting as imagined. In addition to revealing the specific locations within Indiana for the games, the announcement further revealed the official start dates as well as the official run time for the whole tournament.

ROUNDDATESLOCATIONS
Selection SundaySunday, March 14 –
First FourThursday, March 18Mackey Arena, Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall (Bloomington)
First RoundFriday, March 19, and Saturday, March 20Mackey Arena, Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indiana Farmers Coliseum, Lucas Oil Stadium (Bloomington)
Second RoundSunday, March 21, and Monday, March 22Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indiana Farmers Coliseum, Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis)
Sweet 16Saturday, March 27, and Sunday, March 28Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse (Indianapolis)
Elite EightMonday, March 29, and Tuesday, March 30Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis
Final FourSaturday, April 3, and Monday, April 5Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis

Perhaps the most notable adjustment this year is the slightly delayed start which the pandemic can be partly blamed for. But there are very good reasons for the slight delay – it is meant to give additional time after Selection Sunday for all the teams to arrive and get the necessary safety clearances.

COVID-19 Protocols and Safety Measures

Thankfully, everyone that is involved with the upcoming NCAA tournament has expressed a lot of confidence as far as safety is concerned. With the coronavirus pandemic still causing a bit of a problem, the association is really trying to avoid having to deal with yet another cancellation.

According to NCAA President Mark Emmert, everyone involved has “worked tirelessly to reimagine a tournament structure that maintains our unique championship opportunity for college athletes.” This will all be possible thanks to among other things, coordination with the city and the state.

All the advanced health and safety guidelines that are being followed are set to make everything even better. All the players and staff will need to record at least seven consecutive negative COVID-19 tests before they can enter Indianapolis. There will also be daily testing to ensure that everyone remains healthy and safe throughout the tournament. Team members will also be wearing contact tracing equipment.

“The 2021 March Madness schedule is primarily a function of the health and safety protocols for all participants, respecting conference tournaments, balancing time away from campus for college student-athletes, competitive considerations for a national championship, and fan engagement during a relatively traditional tournament timetable.”

Dan Gavitt, the NCAA’s senior vice president of basketball.

All of the medical protocols that the NCAA proposes and shared have already received approval from the Marion County Health Department.

Will You Be Able to Attend?

Well, things are a bit shaky at the moment, and given the prevailing conditions, having non-family member fans at the venues might not be something you want to bet on. However, the members of the association have pointed out that they are looking into everything so maybe things could change before March Madness finally begins. All we can do for now is wait and see.

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