NCAA scraps March Madness because of coronavirus scare

The global coronavirus pandemic has canceled March Madness, the NCAA said Thursday in a jarring decision that landed one day after the association declared plans to stage its marquee basketball tournament inside empty arenas next week.

"This decision is based on the evolving COVID-19 public health threat, our ability to ensure the events do not contribute to spread of the pandemic, and the impracticality of hosting such events at any time during this academic year given ongoing decisions by other entities," the NCAA said in a statement. The NCAA also scrapped its remaining winter and spring championships, in addition to the men's and women's Division I basketball tournaments.

Clear signs of tournament tension emerged hours before the NCAA's formal announcement, when college athletics conferences outright canceled ongoing basketball tournaments because of the viral outbreak - even after several organizations initially insisted they would play on behind closed doors.