NC hoops fans can watch the NCAA Tournament in-person. These are the COVID rules for 2022
Fans will be back in the stands for March Madness this year, and they’ll have plenty of North Carolina teams to cheer for. But some spectators will also still have to follow COVID-related rules, too.
Across the men’s and women’s NCAA tournaments, six teams from five schools in the state — Davidson, Duke, N.C. State, UNC Charlotte and North Carolina — will take the court. After last year’s tournaments were held in centralized locations due to the pandemic, games will be spread out across the country.
That means different COVID-19 protocols will be in place depending on location. Here’s what to expect if you’re heading to watch your team go for the title:
NCAA basketball tournament COVID rules
The NCAA will again have tournament-wide protocols in place for players, coaches and others traveling with teams throughout March Madness, but no uniform COVID-19 policy exists for fans across venues.
That means the rules you’ll have to follow will vary depending on the team and the game location.
NC State women’s basketball has the advantage of starting their quest for a title at home in Raleigh. Fans will have to follow “all local and university guidelines when it comes to COVID protocols,” program spokeswoman Matti Smith told the Observer.
“So for us in Raleigh and at NC State at this moment, that means that fans are not required to wear masks for any games inside of Reynolds Coliseum,” she said.
The UNC women are heading to Tucson, Arizona to open the tournament. Fans will need to wear a mask but don’t have to be vaccinated to enter the McKale Center, team spokeswoman Dana Gelin said.
And UNC Charlotte will take on Indiana in storied Assembly Hall, where masks and vaccination are not required, a representative for Indiana University’s ticket office told the Observer.
On the men’s side, both Duke and Davidson will tip-off their postseason runs in nearby Greenville, South Carolina. The host venue, Bon Secours Wellness Arena, does not have a vaccine requirement. Masks are recommended but not required, per the arena’s website.
The Tar Heel men will open the tournament in Fort Worth, Texas. “There are no COVID protocols for fans,” team spokesman Steve Kirschner told the Observer.
NCAA tournament opening round schedule
Women’s tournament
(1) NC State vs (16) Longwood/Mt St Mary’s: 2 p.m. Saturday at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh
(5) UNC vs (9) Stephen F. Austin: 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the McKale Memorial Center in Tucson, Arizona
(3) Indiana vs (14) Charlotte: 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana
Men’s tournament
(2) Duke vs (15) Cal St. Fullerton: 7:30 p.m. Friday at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina
(8) UNC vs (9) Marquette: 4:30 p.m. Thursday at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas
(7) Michigan St. vs (10) Davidson: 9:40 p.m. Friday at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina
This story was originally published March 16, 2022 at 12:53 PM.
