Opinion on players opting out of NCAA tournaments during COVID-19 in the U.S. 2021

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic had a huge impact on the professional sports industry. Many leagues were canceled and tournaments across the world were postponed, including the 2020 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, also known as March Madness. While the tournament resumed in 2021, there were lingering concerns about the wellbeing of the players and officials. During a March 2021 survey in the United States, over 60 percent of respondents believed that players should be able to opt out of the NCAA tournament without impacting their scholarship.