TBT shakes up format, sites, dates, includes tests and quarantines for players, staff – syracuse.com

Syracuse, N.Y. — The Basketball Tournament will hold its annual $2 million winner-take-all tournament this summer, though it will deviate from years past in a variety of ways.

Blame the coronavirus. Instead of having eight regional sites — one of them planned for Onondaga Community College — the tournament will instead play all of its games at a location yet to be announced. The games likely will be expedited from the original mid-to-late-July and early August dates, so as to not conflict with the probable return of the NBA. The entire tournament will happen within 10 days.

“After reviewing all available science and data, working with experts, and receiving support from our partners, we’ve devised a plan we are confident protects the health and safety of our participants and staff to the greatest extent possible,” TBT founder and CEO Jon Mugar said in a statement. “At the forefront is our single-elimination format, ability to test and quarantine the field and keep teams separate at all times. We look forward to hosting an incredible group of teams and crowning a champion this summer.”

Here are the changes TBT announced this morning:

1) The tournament will be pared to 24 teams. TBT had originally planned on a 64-team field. Boeheim’s Army likely will be one of those 24 teams. The field will be announced next month.

2) Players and staff will be tested for Covid-19
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