NCAA releases statement about tournament attendance and COVID-19

Mark Emmert and the NCAA released a statement about its course of action regarding athletics and COVID-19 or more commonly known as the coronavirus:

The NCAA COVID-19 Advisory Panel recognizes the fluidity of COVID-19 and its impact on hosting events in a public space. COVID-19 is spreading rapidly in the United States, and behavioral risk mitigation strategies are the best option for slowing the spread of this disease. This is especially important because mildly symptomatic individuals can transmit COVID-19. Given these considerations, coupled with a more unfavorable outcome of COVID-19 in older adults – especially those with underlying chronic medical conditions – we recommend against sporting events open to the public. We do believe sport events can take place with only essential personnel and limited family attendance, and this protects our players, employees, and fans.

This should come as no shock to anyone as the news of cancellations and changes to tournament attendance continue to roll in — as well as campuses across the country shutting down (including the Notre Dame Fighting Irish).