Several college conferences announced on Wednesday that games would be closed to fans due to coronavirus concerns, but the NBA’s decision to suspend its season entirely following Rudy Gobert’s positive test for coronavirus set a new standard for sports leagues that some conferences chose not to adhere to.
Over the course of a few hours on Thursday morning, MLS suspended its season, the PGA Tour announced that fans will not be allowed at tournaments, and the Big Ten, SEC and AAC conference tournaments were all canceled.
The Big East tournament in Madison Square Garden proceeded on Thursday afternoon, with No. 7 Creighton playing St. John’s.
In Greensboro, ACC commissioner John Swofford addressed the media before games were set to tip, and said that while the situation was changing “hourly,” the league still planned to play games – a decision backed by league athletic directors.
Just a few minutes before warmups, after Clemson and Florida State players had already taken the floor for warmups, the ACC announced that the tournament has been canceled.
At such an uncertain time, both conferences were roasted for their inaction on social media by fans and analysts alike.
