Dickies Arena to hold American Athletic basketball tournament with no fans
This story has been updated.
The American Athletic Conference men’s basketball tournament, scheduled to start Thursday, will be played without fans, the conference announced, citing growing anxiety of the coronavirus outbreak.
Early in the day Wednesday, the National Collegiate Athletic Association the upcoming men’s and women’s college championship basketball tournament would also go on, but without cheering crowds.
AAC Commissioner Mike Aresco announced the five-day tournament, which begins tomorrow with a first round game between the University of South Florida and the University of Central Florida at 1 p.m., would be limited to only the teams and coaching staff, their family, credentialed media and essential event staff.
“Our top priority is always the health, safety and well-being of our student-athletes, coaches, university administrators and personnel, media, event staff and fans,” he said in a statement.
Aresco said the conference and Dickies Arena staff had been closing monitoring the coronavirus outbreak. The virus, which causes a flu-like respiratory illness also called COVID-19, was confirmed in Tarrant County for the first time late Tuesday evening.
In response to an inquiry from the Star-Telegram, Dickies Arena spokeswoman Alissa Cunningham earlier Wednesday said the arena was planning having fans in the stadium, but taking significant precautions.
Those precautions included:
▪ Continuous clean of high-touch surfaces like door handles and railings throughout the tournament.
▪ Sanitizing locker rooms between each game
▪ Sanitizing the entire arena nightly
▪ Replacing the condiment counter, where guests can load up on mustard and relish, with single-serve packets.
“We’re taking steps to make fans feel as comfortable as possible,” Cunningham said.
The arena is also communicating with the Tarrant County Pubic Health Department and the Fort Worth Emergency Management Office.
Other sporting events have also been canceled, rescheduled or moved. The NCAA men’s and women’s tournaments will take place without fans present.
The Texas Rangers season opener against the Seattle Mariners, originally scheduled for T-Mobile Park, will be moved after after Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced a ban on gatherings of more than 250 people aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus. Major League Baseball is expected to announce contingency plans soon.
The games could be played without fans or moved to another location not affected as much by the virus. One option would be in Peoria, Arizona, where the Mariners share a spring training complex with the San Diego Padres.
The first known case of coronavirus in Tarrant County was reported Tuesday evening. A Fort Worth priest contracted the virus after attending a conference in Kentucky. COVID-19 causes respiratory illness with fever and cough and may lead to bronchitis and severe pneumonia.
If you believe you have been exposed to COVID-19, the CDC recommends the following steps to limit the spread of the virus:
▪ Separate yourself from other people and animals. Close contact is defined as being with in six feet of a coronavirus case for a prolonged period of time.
▪ Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap is not available, use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
▪ Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
▪ Avoid touching your face.
▪ If you believe you have symptoms, wear a face mask. Masks are not recommended for people who are well.
▪ Disinfect frequently touched objects, such as door knobs, cellphones, keyboards and faucets, using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
This story was originally published March 11, 2020 at 4:24 PM.
