The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Not many spectators, or noise
So went Day 1, Game 1 of the 2020 Mid-American Conference Tournament at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland.
Surreal was the word that sprang to mind when trying to process what happens when, because of righteous vigilance about the spread of a serious virus, a noisy, energetic, exceedingly public event unfolds in something approaching a vacuum.
Just after noon on March 11, the No. 1 seed Central Michigan Chippewas and No. 9 Toledo Rockets tipped off in the first of the day’s four women’s tournament quarterfinal contests.
On any of the previous 20 opening days of the MAC Tournament since the event re-located in March 2000 to what then was called Gund Arena, there would have been 1,500 to 2,000 fans in the stands for the first women’s quarterfinal game.
You’d also have had energy emanating from the pep bands, cheerleaders and mascots stationed behind the baselines at either end of the MAC’s customized tournament floor.
There was none of that at this Day 1, Game 1.
Nor will there be any through the balance of the tournament that ends on March 14 with the women’s and men’s championship games.
Citing concerns about the spread of the novel coronavirus, aka COVID-19, the MAC announced on March 10 that admission to all sessions of the tournament would be limited to “credentialed institutional personnel, student-athlete family members, credentialed media, television and radio crews, and official team party members.”
Fans, including thousands of whom already had purchased tickets and made travel arrangements, were left on the outside looking in.
Given all the public attention being focused on COVID-19, and Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s stated advocacy for restricting access to large-scale public gatherings, MAC Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher had no wiggle room on making the call.
Still, it had to be disconcerting for Steinbrecher and his administrators to shut down the public portion of the conference’s basketball showcases.
It meant virtually no spectators in the seats for what usually are intensely competitive games.
It meant no fans patronizing bars and restaurants in the downtown area, especially in the Gateway District.
It meant those business owners taking hits to their bottom lines.
It meant many fewer game-day employees getting paychecks at the arena.
Weighing all those ramification had everything to do with the MAC delaying the no-fans announcement until early evening on May 10.
“An extremely long, difficult day,” said Ken Mather, MAC associate commissioner for media and public relations.
As for the game, it was pretty terrific.
The underdog Rockets made their early contribution to so-called “March Madness,” posting a 78-71 win over favored CMU.
Toledo coach Tricia Cullop and her players obviously were aware of the special circumstances as the game unfolded. So were Central Michigan coach Heather Oesterle and her players.
They all missed the levels of noise and energy usually generated by their fans, but they had plays to run and a game to win.
“It’s always me and my sisters against the world,” Toledo junior guard Tanaya Beacham said.
Cullops said she and her assistant coaches had an inkling fans would be shut out of this tournament for several days before the formal announcement.
“We fully respect and support the decision he made,” Cullop said, referring to Steinbrecher. “This is a different world now. We need to make concessions to keep people safe.”
The scene from Day 1, Game 1 will repeat itself when the men’s quarterfinals begin March 12 at noon with No. 1 Akron taking on No. 8 Ohio.
What’s unfolding at the MAC Tournament will linger through the upcoming NCAA Division I men’s tournament first-round and second-round games scheduled for March 20 and 22 in the same building. The NCAA announced during the afternoon March 11 that those games will have limited attendance as well.
A different world, indeed.
Reach Glasier at DGlasier@News-Herald. com. On Twitter: @nhglasier