NCAA Warns Schools of Potential Travel Problems for March Madness

With less than two weeks to go until Selection Sunday, the NCAA has issued a letter to all Division I athletic directors as well as all DI men’s and women’s head basketball coaches warning of the potential for difficulties getting to various tournament sites in the early stages of March Madness.

In the letter, sent by Dan Gavitt, senior director of basketball; Lynn Holzman, vice president of women’s basketball; and JoAnn Scott, vice president of men’s basketball, the NCAA is trying to get ahead of the matter, writing, “Nationwide, significantly fewer charter aircraft are available due to several factors outside of NCAA control. The logistical challenge of moving almost all participating teams for both tournaments within 12-72 hours beginning (Selection) Sunday night is compounded by the busy spring break travel season, the national shortage of charter aircraft nationwide and the potential TSA impact of the partial government shutdown. While the NCAA assured all participating teams they will get to where they need to go safely the NCAA also advised all teams that extreme flexibility – especially the first week of the championships will be necessary.”

Later in the letter, which was shared on X by Matt Norlander of CBS Sports, the NCAA writes, “Adjustments to the realities of the current travel marketplace must be made,” and that “extreme flexibility will be required this championship season. Participating schools should expect 100% screening, catering for flights over three hours, and assigned departure dates and times based on game date and aircraft efficiency, for the first week of the tournament. New this year, participating institutions will not submit date or time preferences for outbound flights to First Four, first/second round games.”

Elsewhere in the lengthy missive from the NCAA, it outlined various ways schools could see their travel impacted, which include:

• Later confirmation of charter departure times when traveling to/from tournament sites
• Use of a wide range of aircraft with multiple seating configurations and amenities
• Different aircraft for inbound and outbound flights
• Need for earlier submission of final passenger and equipment manifest
• Increased security measures from the regular season
• Payload restrictions and weight limitations
• Need for fuel stops or use of alternative airports
• Adjustment of departure dates and times

Madness On Tap

The men’s tournament begins with the First Four on Tuesday, March 17. The women’s tournament begins the next day. Both tournaments will be whittled from 68 teams down to 16 over the course of the opening week, with the women’s tournament having games at on-campus locations for the top 16 seeds. The men’s tournament is held entirely at neutral sites, with the early-round dates and locations as follows:

First Four

March 17 and 18 in Dayton, Ohio

First/Second Rounds

March 19 and 21:  Buffalo, New York; Greenville, South Carolina; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Portland, Oregon

March 20 and 22: Tampa, Florida; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; San Diego, California; St. Louis, Missouri

The men’s Final Four is April 4 and 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The women’s Final Four will take place in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 3 and 5

The NCAA tournaments aren’t the only sporting events with recent travel disruptions. On a more serious scale, various events in the Middle East are being impacted by the ongoing violence in that region.