2020 TBT moved from UD Arena to Columbus; tournament finals return to Dayton next year

COLUMBUS — The Basketball Tournament announced their entire 2020 competition will be played at Nationwide Arena in Columbus in July with no fans, according to a media release from the tournament Thursday.

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The entirety of the $1 million winner-take-all tournament will take place between July 4 and 14 with 23 games scheduled to take place over the 10 days.

The final three rounds of the 2020 TBT were originally scheduled to be held at the University of Dayton Arena, however the ongoing coronavirus pandemic forced the change, officials said. However UD Arena will host the finals of the tournament in 2021, Scott Debolt, Senior Associate Athletics Director and Executive Director of UD Arena said in a statement to News Center 7.

“We look forward to hosting the finals of the TBT next year. The change in the tournament’s date and format, along with quarantine and testing protocols, made it more practical for the TBT to hold this year’s event in a public facility rather than on a college campus in 2020,” Debolt said in the emailed statement.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and state health officials approved a submitted plan to safely host TBT in the state’s capital. This is the second sporting event to submit and receive approval to be held in Ohio, after the governor approved a plan to host The Memorial golf tournament in Dublin.

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“Hosting TBT in Columbus is another step forward in our state’s efforts to responsibly restart Ohio. We’re looking forward to having live sports back in a safe way we all can enjoy,” DeWine said in a statement posted to TBT’s website.

The tournament is being tabbed as a “fully quarantined” event, with no fans and multiple rounds of COVID-19 testing of players and team representatives. If a player of a team tests positive once TBT has started, the team will be removed from the tournament, officials said.

While the teams have not been announced, at least two Ohio-based teams with area basketball alumni have applied to play in the tournament. Carmen’s Crew, made up of several Ohio State basketball alums will attempt to defend their 2019 title.

The Red Scare, with UD and Atlantic 10 alums, has also applied to play in TBT.

All games of TBT will be broadcast through the ESPN network.

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