NCAA Tried to Change March Madness to 16-Team Tournament Amid Coronavirus

The Sweet 16 was apparently almost the entire NCAA tournament this year.

NCAA vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt told Ralph D. Russo of the Associated Press the organization considered playing a condensed 16-team tournament in Atlanta instead of outright canceling the men's and women's tournaments because of concerns about the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The NCAA ultimately canceled both tournaments after many of the conference tournaments on the men's side were either canceled in advance or called off after they started.

Russo noted the selection committee would have picked the top 16 teams in the country to participate without regard to conferences or conference championships. The entire tournament would have then been played in Atlanta from Thursday through Monday.

"There was a real concern about not being inclusive enough, with only 16 teams," Gavitt said. "But the other thing that was in play at that point in committee members' minds, and we saw this play out at conference tournaments, once an NBA player was infected, I think it started to really hit home for the players, from what I've heard from coaches by text message and anecdotally."

The cancellation of the NCAA men's and women's tournaments, which largely define the month of March in the sports calendar, was one of the most jarring ways the coronavirus has impacted the sports world.

Elsewhere, the NBA, NHL and MLS have suspended their current seasons, while Major League Baseball canceled the remaining spring training games on the schedule and pushed back the start of the regular season.

The NCAA also canceled all spring sport championships, but the Council Coordination Committee announced student-athletes who participate in spring sports will be granted some measure of "eligibility relief."

Jeff Goodman of Stadium reported the committee is also discussing what will be done for winter sports athletes who saw their championships canceled.