
Basketball tournaments have been cancelled for a variety of reasons, including weather conditions, safety concerns, and, most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, the NCAA Division I men's and women's basketball tournaments, branded as March Madness, were cancelled due to the pandemic, marking the first time the tournament had been cancelled since its creation in 1939. The COVID-19 pandemic also led to the suspension of the 2020 UEFA Champions League and the cancellation of high school basketball tournaments, such as the Southeastern 2-A Conference and Waccamaw 1A/2A Conference tournaments. Aside from pandemics, basketball tournaments have been cancelled due to severe weather, such as the 2010 World Professional Darts Championship, which was cancelled due to heavy snowfall and icy roads. Safety concerns have also resulted in cancellations, like the 1999 World Rally Championship, which was halted after British co-driver Michael Park lost his life in a crash.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Tournament Name | NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament |
| Year | 2020 |
| Reason for Cancellation | COVID-19 pandemic |
| Number of Teams | 68 |
| Venues | Enterprise Center, St. Louis, Missouri; Amalie Arena, Tampa, Florida; Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, Ohio; Madison Square Garden, New York, New York |
| --- | --- |
| Tournament Name | Southeastern 2-A Conference and Waccamaw 1A/2A Conference high school basketball tournaments |
| Year | 2025 |
| Reason for Cancellation | Freezing rain |
| Venues | West Bladen; West Columbus High School |
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What You'll Learn

COVID-19 pandemic cancellations
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the cancellation of basketball tournaments around the world. In March 2020, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) cancelled its men's and women's basketball tournaments, putting an end to the season just a month before champions were to be crowned. This included the 2020 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, which was cancelled just five days before it was set to begin. The Ivy League also cancelled its tournament, awarding the championship to Yale based on regular-season records.
The pandemic also disrupted the 2019-20 season of the ASEAN Basketball League, with several fixtures rescheduled due to COVID-19. The Super Basketball League in Taiwan was able to continue, but when the Taiwanese government shut down all publicly controlled arenas, the league held its games at the Haoyu Basketball Training Center with no more than 100 people allowed in the arena. The 2020 season of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and the PBA D-League was suspended indefinitely after its first game. The inaugural PBA 3x3 tournament was also delayed.
In Europe, the Euroleague suspended games from March 14 to April 11, 2020, and later cancelled its competitions for the season. FIBA also suspended all competitions, including the Basketball Champions League (BCL), which was later finished with a "Final Eight" tournament played behind closed doors. Lithuania, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovakia, and Ukraine cancelled their respective first division leagues, naming the top teams in the standings as champions.
The pandemic also impacted esports leagues and tournaments, with many events cancelled or shifted to online-only formats. The Overwatch League, for example, cancelled all homestand events for March and April 2020 and moved its All-Star Weekend to after the end of the season. The PUBG Global Series 2020 event, scheduled for April in Berlin, was also cancelled.
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Cancelled 2020 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament
The 2020 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. It was the first time the tournament had been cancelled since its creation in 1939. The 82nd edition of the tournament was scheduled to begin on March 17, 2020, and conclude with the championship game on April 6 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. However, on March 12, just five days before it was set to begin, the tournament was cancelled, along with all other NCAA championships for the remainder of the academic year.
The decision to cancel the tournament was made due to the rapid spread of COVID-19 in the United States at the time. The NCAA had initially discussed holding a shortened version of the tournament with only 16 teams in the Final Four host city of Atlanta. However, this proposal was ultimately rejected, and the tournament was cancelled entirely.
The cancellation of the 2020 tournament had a significant impact on college athletics. The NCAA distributes revenue to participating teams based on their performance in the tournament, so the cancellation meant a loss of potential funding for many schools. Additionally, the tournament has become a part of American popular culture, with bracket contests awarding money and other prizes for correctly predicting the outcomes of the games. The cancellation of the 2020 tournament disrupted this tradition and affected the businesses and individuals who rely on the tournament for income.
The 2020 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament was not the only basketball tournament to be cancelled that year. The Ivy League, for example, announced on March 10 that it had cancelled its conference tournament, and several other conferences also suspended their tournaments or held them behind closed doors with no outside spectators. The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament and the Big East tournament were also cancelled, along with all remaining winter and spring championships for the academic year.
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Cancelled 2020 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament
The 2020 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Basketball Tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The tournament was scheduled to take place from March 10 to 14, 2020, at the Norfolk Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia. The tournament is a single-elimination championship playoff involving Division I historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) located across the Atlantic coastline, including Bethune-Cookman, Coppin State, Delaware State, Florida A&M, Howard, Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State, Norfolk State, North Carolina A&T State, North Carolina Central, and South Carolina State.
The decision to cancel the MEAC tournament was made on March 12, 2020, just two days after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic. The announcement came on the heels of the NCAA cancelling its postseason basketball tournaments, including the NCAA Division I men's and women's basketball tournaments. The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, also known as March Madness, is a single-elimination tournament featuring 68 teams and determining the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men's college basketball national champion.
The cancellation of the 2020 MEAC tournament was not an isolated incident, as many other basketball tournaments at various levels were also cancelled or suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, the Ivy League cancelled its conference tournament on March 10, 2020, and other conferences announced suspensions of all athletics to varying degrees. The NBA also suspended its regular season on March 11, 2020, after Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert was diagnosed with COVID-19.
The cancellation of the 2020 MEAC tournament was a disappointment for many, especially the student-athletes who had spent months preparing for the competition. However, the decision was made with the health and safety of the participants, staff, and spectators as a top priority. Dr. Wayne Frederick, Chair of the Council of Chief Executive Officers for the MEAC and President of Howard University, emphasized the importance of protecting the well-being of everyone involved in light of the ongoing Coronavirus threat.
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Cancelled high school basketball tournaments
The COVID-19 pandemic caused the cancellation of the 2020 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, along with all remaining winter and spring championships for the academic year. This included the Ivy League conference tournament, which was scheduled to take place at Harvard University, and the Big East tournament, which was called off halfway through a quarter-final game.
In 2024, Hoopla, Saskatchewan's high school basketball championship, was cancelled due to teacher strikes and ongoing job action from teachers. The event organizers had stated that the tournament would be called off unless the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF) reversed their decision to withdraw from extracurricular activities. Students and parents protested the cancellation, but the tournament was officially cancelled on Wednesday, just one day before it was set to begin.
In the same year, the Southeastern 2-A Conference and Waccamaw 1A/2A Conference high school basketball tournaments were cancelled due to expected freezing rain in the region. The tournaments, which were scheduled to take place over several days, included semifinal and championship games for both boys and girls teams.
These are just a few examples of high school basketball tournaments that have been cancelled due to various unforeseen circumstances.
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Cancelled due to safety concerns
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on sports events, with many tournaments and games being cancelled or postponed due to safety concerns. This includes the cancellation of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which was a historic event set to bring together athletes from all over the world. The decision to postpone the games was made just four months before they were scheduled to begin, marking the first time in Olympic history that the games were delayed due to a health crisis.
In 2020, the NCAA also faced immense pressure to prioritize the safety of those involved in basketball tournaments. The NCAA cancelled the men's and women's basketball tournaments, impacting the coaches and players on the 68 men's teams and the millions of fans. This was the first time in NCAA history that the tournament was cancelled, and it left many teams disappointed as they were unable to compete for the championship.
The MIAA Board also voted to cancel the 2020 state finals in basketball and hockey due to the COVID-19 outbreak. This decision was not taken lightly, as they understood the impact on the student-athletes involved. However, they ultimately prioritized the safety of everyone involved, including the players, coaches, and attendees.
In addition to the cancellations at the college and state levels, some major conferences and leagues also had to postpone or cancel their events. For example, the Big Ten tournament was cancelled in 2020, causing fans who had travelled to the event to adjust their plans. The decision was made to curb the potential spread of coronavirus, as large gatherings presented severe health risks that could not be ignored.
Outside of the COVID-19 pandemic, safety concerns have also led to the cancellation of basketball tournaments and exhibitions. In 2021, USA Basketball cancelled its exhibition match against Australia, citing health and safety concerns. While the specific reasons were not disclosed, it was mentioned that one of their players, Bradley Beal, had to enter COVID-19 protocols and would not be attending the upcoming Olympics.
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