Summit League moves basketball tournaments to smaller venue, bans fans from games

Summit League commissioner Tom Douple confirmed on Thursday that the men's and women's basketball conference championship tournaments will be relocated from the Denny Sanford Premier Center to the smaller Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota because of issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The events will occur from March 6-9, and fans won't be permitted to attend any games. This will be the 13th consecutive year Sioux Falls serves as the home of the men's and women's basketball tournaments. 

"As the Summit League’s Commissioner, I never imagined that the League would be making an announcement like this one," Douple said in the prepared statement. "It is with deep disappointment, yet an equally deep amount of conviction that we came to this conclusion because the health, safety, and welfare of our student-athletes, coaches, administrators, fans, and the Sioux Falls community remain our highest priorities.

"This decision was not made lightly, knowing that fan attendance has been a key driving force in raising interest in the Summit League Basketball Championships. However, after a review of the current environment and the potential impact of bringing 16 teams and all their constituents into one site, it became a necessary decision."

Ticket holders will receive an email on Monday regarding their options. 

Douple added: 

"In a multi-team event like our championships, one positive test along with contact tracing requirements has the potential to eliminate several teams from moving forward and mitigating those risks was paramount in the decision-making process. 

"Our medical consultants and Presidents Council concluded that every step possible should be taken to help mitigate exposure to the virus for everyone involved. Unfortunately, these measures included some tough decisions. And, while we cannot eliminate all concerns, it is imperative to take every precaution to temper and reduce these risks as much as possible."