According to a series of Tweets by Matt Norlander, Orland-based college basketball MTEs are in doubt.
“College basketball’s season starts a month from today, but behind the scenes, according to sources, widespread concern is quickly escalating over the stability — if not survival — of every Orlando-based ESPN event,” Norlander stated. “This is a huge deal.”
Here are some of his comments:
Multiple sources are expressing doubt over the solvency of the entire operation, and the reason for it is the COVID-19 protocols that are attached to playing in an Orlando event. Major decisions are expected in the coming 2-3 days.
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) October 25, 2020
ESPN released two editions of its protocols to teams last week but the measures laid out were not enough to assuage concerns for many. One rule: if someone in your traveling party test positive for COVID, you have to be quarantined in Orlando for 14 days at the team’s expense.
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) October 25, 2020
No game or MTE’s been 86’d. There’s still a path for Orlando, but one source calls it “a long shot.” Another said it’s 50/50 they play there. Another said they’d put it at less than 25%. Yet another said “ESPN knows it’s on the fritz … my best guess is the whole thing folds.”
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) October 25, 2020
Multiple coaches + administrators I’ve talked to are dumbfounded by the fact that when they step back and look at the calendar, they can’t believe we’re a month out from start of season and this is still the state of affairs with scheduling. Major decisions need to come this week
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) October 25, 2020
Kentucky is scheduled to play against Kansas in the Champions Classic in Orlando on December 1.
For now, it appears the event will still take place, it just might not be played in Orlando.
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