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STATEMENT FROM THE BIG TEN CONFERENCE
The Big Ten Conference Administrators Council, which includes the Directors of Athletics and Senior Women Administrators from all 14 member institutions, approved measures to relocate the 2021 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament from the United Center in Chicago to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The decision to relocate the tournament was made in collaboration with the Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors and the conference office.
The decision to relocate the tournament to Indianapolis was based on multiple factors. First and foremost was the health and safety of student-athletes, coaches, officials and conference constituents. Hosting both the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments in the same city allows for cohesive testing and medical protocols for both events, as well as centralized accommodations surrounding the competition venues.
February 2, 2021 A number of organizations and agencies, including the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, are working on NCAA tourney plans.
The Indiana Sports Corp. on Friday said it has received a $905,000 grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to support ongoing beautification and programming efforts in downtown Indianapolis leading up to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament in March.
The grant will be split between a host of cleanup and placemaking efforts designed to welcome teams, fans, media and other visitors in town for March Madness, with teams expected to begin arriving March 13.
IBJ reported Friday morning that several major initiatives are under way to help the city get tournament-ready. They include a tree planting project, digital art in vacant storefronts downtown and several trash pick-ups in areas likely to be heavily trafficked by media and other visitors.
What better place for March Madness than the home of Hoosier Hysteria?
The unusual decision was driven by the realities of the pandemic that rages on: The NCAA hopes that holding the tournament in one centralized location in Indianapolis will make the logistics of doing so safely more manageable.
âWeâre not naive about how hard this is gonna be,â NCAA president Mark Emmert said. âThe pandemic is still very much alive and itâs going to be in March. . but we owe this opportunity to provide a healthy, safe environment.â
The games will be played at Lucas Oil Stadium, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Butlerâs Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indiana Farmers Coliseum, Purdueâs Mackey Arena and IUâs Assembly Hall. Fort Wayne will host the full NCAA Division II tourney, while Evansville will host the Division III games.
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