* March Madness will go on in Tampa and elsewhere, but without fans?

https://www.tampabay.com/sports/2020/03/07/march-madness-will-go-on-in-tampa-and-elsewhere-but-without-fans/

Coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the Tampa Bay area. For the latest news on the outbreak, go to our coronavirus page, which we are updating regularly. You also can sign up for our DayStarter newsletter to have the day’s news sent right to your inbox each morning for free.

Barring spectators from NCAA Tournament basketball games, including those scheduled March 19 and 21 in Tampa, is “not a rational strategy” for the association at this moment and is “very unlikely,” the association’s chief medical officer told the Wall Street Journal.

“I think a worst-case scenario is that it’s played behind closed doors,” Brian Hainline said Friday. “It would be very, very difficult to cancel a championship and have it at any other time.”

Concerns about the coronavirus have led to event cancellations in the U.S. and abroad. On Friday, the South By Southwest festival, which brings hundreds of thousands of people around the world to Austin, Texas, became the latest event called off to prevent the virus’ spread.

The NCAA’s options include screening players before the competition, screening spectators or relying on spectators to heed public service messages to stay home if they don’t feel good, said Carlos Del Rio, chairman of an NCAA advisory panel on the coronavirus.

All-session tickets for second and third-round games at Amalie Arena include six games and are available through ticketmaster.com for $210. Florida State is considered a favorite for a top-seed in the Tampa regional.

* As coronavirus hits Tampa Bay, no changes yet for WrestleMania

https://www.tampabay.com/sports/pro-wrestling/2020/03/02/as-coronavirus-hits-tampa-no-changes-yet-for-wrestlemania/

Hillsborough County identified its first case of coronavirus on Sunday, a little more than a month before Tampa hosts a major international event at Raymond James Stadium.

That would be WrestleMania, which is expected to draw more than 70,000 fans from more than 60 countries around the world on April 5.

Last week, WWE officials told the Times the company was monitoring the coronavirus epidemic, with chief brand officer Stephanie McMahon saying, “The health and safety of not only our fan base, but also our superstars, really does come first."

On Monday, Rob Higgins, executive director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, said in an email that his team had “nothing to add” on the coronavirus front; as did a WWE spokesman. For now, the WWE and Sports Commission will continue monitoring its spread and adhering to public safety protocols. (Other major sporting events coming to Tampa Bay in the next month: IndyCar’s Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, the PGA’s Valspar Championship and two rounds of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.)

“There are active and ongoing discussions at play internally, like there are in any sector of American business, and certainly families as a whole," John Saboor, WWE’s executive vice president of special events, told the Times on Thursday. "I think those will continue.”

WWE superstar Drew McIntyre, who lives in Tampa and will wrestle Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania, told the Times on Monday that he remains focused on what’ll happen inside the ring, not outside.

“The company’s monitoring the situation,” McIntyre said. “Regarding me, I’m just focused on my job at hand, which is entertaining the people.”