I understand wanting to see someone different, but from the conference's perspective you're looking at something like a 13 seed vs a play in game. If I'm a fan of a non Hartford team I'm rooting for Vermont just for that reason alone.
Hartford having never been to the Dance makes it most likely that fans from other teams will root for them. If they weren't playing the Cats, I would be.
I was told by 2 reliable sources that having a fan-free final is under serious consideration. There is a Corona committee that will decide. This is entirely new territory.
For what it’s worth, UVM sent out an email immediately after the game to season ticket holders with info on buying tickets. But I’m holding off buying until tomorrow afternoon. I’d expect an announcement tomorrow morning one way or the other. Despite no cases in VT, the hysteria is starting to overwhelm us, so it wouldn’t surprise me if they go the no-fan route, which is pathetic IMO. But we’ll see.
The Middlebury update said they had an individual that attended a Middlebury sporting event that has now tested positive for Covid-19, but apparently they were not yet contagious at the game they attended, however that works.
I went to the game tonight and feel silly for doing so. At my age I apparently have a 20% chance of a fatal outcome if I contract the disease, according to what I have read in the last hour. Most of my friends and relatives in VT are in the same age group, and as much as I would like to interact with them in the next 2 weeks or so, I now won't. Going to the AE Final, for me, is out of the question. If you are youngish but have older parents or other older people in your life, please consider that you would be betting their lives to see a game.
But there has only been one case in VT so far, you might argue. Being tested in the US is a very rare event. South Korea tests more people in an hour than have been tested cumulatively in the US since the world began. The time needed for the symptoms to appear that send someone to the hospital has not gone by yet. We don't know anything about the current status of infection here. We do know this, however. Italy had 3 cases less than 3 weeks ago. Italy is now in lock down with over 10,000 known cases and 600 deaths. It's only a game. I prefer to not bet the farm on it.
I went to the game tonight and feel silly for doing so. At my age I apparently have a 20% chance of a fatal outcome if I contract the disease, according to what I have read in the last hour. Most of my friends and relatives in VT are in the same age group, and as much as I would like to interact with them in the next 2 weeks or so, I now won't. Going to the AE Final, for me, is out of the question. If you are youngish but have older parents or other older people in your life, please consider that you would be betting their lives to see a game.
But there has only been one case in VT so far, you might argue. Being tested in the US is a very rare event. South Korea tests more people in an hour than have been tested cumulatively in the US since the world began. The time needed for the symptoms to appear that send someone to the hospital has not gone by yet. We don't know anything about the current status of infection here. We do know this, however. Italy had 3 cases less than 3 weeks ago. Italy is now in lock down with over 10,000 known cases and 600 deaths. It's only a game. I prefer to not bet the farm on it.
I was a guy who started out thinking, this is much to do about nothing...holy shit...not no more! This thing is starting to get kind of scary. Flu has mortality rate of 0.1% according to National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Covid19 according to WHO has an estimate mortality of 3.4%. That's frightening considering even at 0.1% flu kills an estimated 300-600k people worldwide. Overlay that 3.4% rate and this thing is freaking frightening.
Again, I'm the dude the thought, what's the big deal, just the flu.
I am scheduled to attend the 1st/2nd Rounds in Cleveland and there is a very strong possibility as of this morning that they will not play the games with fans. There is also a groundswell that is putting some pressure on the NCAA to cancel both the men's and women's tournaments.
I really don't know if that will happen, but it appears to be on the table now today more than it has been.
In addition, I don't trust those percentages that are being thrown about. We have absolutely no idea how many people actually had it but didn't do anything about it because it didn't seem like much more than a cold. My wife is a nurse and she says that this is a little extreme and people are overreacting, mainly because of the way this is being presented by the media. I tend to agree with her.
Of course, I'm not over 70 and don't have major health issues.
Just after I hit enter, I heard on the radio that the guy in charge of the federal government's response team just told Congress that we should not be conducting sporting events or games right now in front of any spectators.
Things are going to be very interesting over the next couple of days.
The NCAA will have to make a decision within the next 48 hours or so I would think, in regards to both the NCAA Tournaments and the NIT/WNIT.
The person in charge of the federal government's response doesn't necessarily have the sway to make this happen. If we can say one thing about our current administration, they listen to big money interests. If the NCAA doesn't sell tickets to events, plus merchandising and concessions...that's enough money to get someone's interest. I'd bet against the NCAA tourney being cancelled or held without spectators.
That was my thinking prior to this morning. The Governor of Ohio has strongly recommended playing any games in his state without spectators. The MAC is doing that for their postseason tournaments.
I know. The NCAA makes a crapload of money of this event. I had a hard time seeing it done as well. It just seems like over the last 2 days, the "fear" has grown exponentially and this has much more teeth than it did. A buddy will most likely not be attending as his daughter said he will not be allowed to be around his grandson for 2 weeks if he goes. The grandson is only a few months old.
I don't know if that would be feasible at all the arenas and cities. Team travel, hotel rooms, referee availability, etc would all be issues that would need to be dealt with. On the women's side where the top 16 seeds host, you would have campuses that may not be able to handle something 2 weeks later. I don't know if it could even be accomplished. Feels like the choices are to proceed as planned, proceed with no fans or cancel it entirely.
A bit surprised that the Fan Fest is on. While it can be fun for some folks, it's hardly an essential part of the game experience. I will be fine without it. (And while I have my game ticket, I know things may change before Saturday.)
BURLINGTON, Vt. - UVM Athletics will host a pre-game Fan Fest on Saturday morning (March 14) prior to the 2020 Hercules Tires America East Men's Basketball Championship Game in the Indoor Turf Facility. The activities will run from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. leading up to the conference title game...
It's my understanding that because nobody has immunity and there have been no vaccinations that we should expect months of infections rather than weeks. The biggest problem is that when the infected population explodes it is more than the hospitals can handle. They don't have huge isolation ICU's and they will have the same number of regular patients in addition to the coronavirus infected. Because it increases exponentially the onset is very sudden, from nothing to overload in hours.
I would prefer to see a game on ESPN with no fans in the stands than 10 pages of obits in the BFP.
The big question is, if this is such an issue, why are NBA and NHL games and large concerts/other events still going on as normal? The only things that have been cancelled are government-sanctioned events like SXSW and political rallies.
I see the response as similar to the anti-vaxxer/herd immunity issue. We live in a society that prides itself on individualism and taking risks that only affect you as an individual. But going to a large event is not about you yourself getting sick, its about being in a position where you promoting the community spread of the virus. I still think such measures are not needed as in total the risk remains extremely low--less than 2,000 cases nationwide and only 112,000 globally (only 8,000 in Italy).
Either way...some very big developments today. I wouldn't be surprised if March Madness is cancelled entirely and the championship is played without fans. Pres. Gurimella announced pretty draconian University-wide measures that will go into effect 3/18.
I was kinda on this page initially but when I saw the figures on how fast it spread in Italy and how much more virulent it is than the flu as well as the potential impact on hospitals and the economy I changed my mind. Limiting contact is the best way to prevent it as disappointing as it is.
I just think UVM will not be ready to play without fans. They are not used to playing in empty arenas and when they do we get games like Rider. I'm fine watching ESPN2 but the energy the crowd provides is much-needed for players like Everett.
America East spokesman told me that the AD’s are meeting tonight. Announcement expected in morning in regards to the championship game between Hartford and Vermont on Saturday scheduled in Burlington.
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