2021 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Gets Dates & Bubble In Indiana

NCAA takes a page from the NBA as they plan to host their basketball tournament in a bubble-style format in Indiana.

Source: Mitchell Layton / Getty

When COVID-19 touched down on American soil, no one could have predicted what would come in the following months. After Rudy Gobert tested positive and the NBA paused its season, the NCAA followed suit. The NBA would return toward the end of summer, but college basketball was done for the year. This may seem minor, but many recruits suffered from not being able to showcase their talent further and the NCAA took a huge loss not having one of their biggest events.

According to Bleacher Report, this year, the NCAA won’t be taking any chances and have bubble protocols in place for a successful event.

The NCAA also announced (h/t Stadium) that Selection Sunday will take place on March 14 and that the Final Four will be held on April 3, with the championship game being held on April 5.

Because college athletes are not considered employees, teams are unable to restrict their off-court activities in a similar manner to professional sports. Players are subject to essentially the same rules as every other student on campus, which has led to a higher rate of infection and less ability to control the spread.

Other sports leagues have shown that “bubbling” players in one area is the best and safest way to hold an event without interruption or the risk of the coronavirus spreading.

Both the men’s and women’s bubbles will be held in Indiana, most likely without any fans in attendance. Hopefully, the NCAA will have success with their bubble, similar to the NBA, and everyone can pull this event off safely.