College Basketball Games With No Fans? It's Happened Before
The Lead
Audible
3.7 • 2.1K Ratings
🗓️ 11 March 2020
⏱️ 25 minutes
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Summary
As the coronavirus continues to spread, more and more sporting events are being canceled or postponed. There is now a possibility that NCAA Tournament games could be played without fans. But it turns out, this has happened before. The Athletic's Dana O'Neil joins us to discuss a 1989 measles outbreak that caused conference tourney games to be played in empty arenas, what that was like for players, and how TV broadcasters found a way to have some fun in a tough situation (hint: cardboard cutouts were involved).
Read Dana O'Neil's story about the 1989 Siena Saints:
https://theathletic.com/1658080/2020/03/06/a-disease-forcing-tourney-games-to-be-played-in-empty-arenas-its-happened/?source=theleadpodcast
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The coronavirus continues to sweep across the globe. |
| 0:10.0 | It passes from person to person through the air, |
| 0:13.0 | often through coughs and sneezes. |
| 0:16.0 | So how do you know if you've got it well among the symptoms? |
| 0:19.0 | And as it does, more and more sporting events |
| 0:22.0 | are being postponed or canceled. |
| 0:24.0 | The spread of the coronavirus has led to sharp falls |
| 0:27.0 | and global stock markets. |
| 0:29.0 | And now we're seeing it begin to cancel major international events |
| 0:32.0 | like the 2020 Women's World Ice Hockey Championships. |
| 0:35.0 | That were to be played. |
| 0:36.0 | But the big story today, Sarriass suspended at least until April 3rd. |
| 0:41.0 | Well, Gapmalkonzi is with us. |
| 0:43.0 | Right, the news now with the Ivy Leagues canceling their tournament. |
| 0:47.0 | So your initial reaction to this. |
| 0:50.0 | Are they going to start canceling the NCAA tournament games as far? |
| 0:54.0 | And now with Ohio Governor Mike DeWine recommending on Tuesday |
| 0:57.0 | that spectators not be allowed at indoor sporting events, |
| 1:01.0 | there's a real possibility that the NCAA tournament |
| 1:04.0 | could be played in empty arenas. |
| 1:07.0 | But it turns out this has happened before. |
| 1:10.0 | Back in 1989, with a different virus. |
... |
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