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Indy relaxing COVID-19 restrictions before Big Ten, NCAA men's tourneys
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said that the loosening of restrictions is related to decreases in COVID-19 cases and the city's coronavirus positivity rate.  Jenna Watson/IndyStar via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Indianapolis relaxing COVID-19 restrictions before Big Ten, NCAA men's tournaments

Per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN), Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett announced on Friday that the city will relax COVID-19 restrictions currently placed on bars and restaurants starting next week ahead of the Big Ten and NCAA men's basketball tournaments. 

Bars are allowed to increase capacities from 25% to 50%, while indoor restaurant capacities can go from 50% to 75%. Bars, restaurants and music venues are permitted to extend closing hours from midnight to 2 a.m. local time. 

"I want to make it clear though that these decisions were in no way driven by March Madness," Hogsett said. He added that the loosening of restrictions is related to decreases in COVID-19 cases and the city's coronavirus positivity rate. 

On Thursday, ESPN's Jeff Borzello reported that the NCAA will not have replacement teams on standby if a school has to drop out of the championship tournament because of COVID-19 issues. Any team unable to safely field a squad on an announced gameday will forfeit the contest and suffer elimination. 

The Big Ten men's tournament runs March 10-14, while the NCAA tournament is slated to tip off on March 18.

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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