KANSAS CITY, Mo. — March 11, 2020, is when hoops came to a halt at what was then called the Sprint Center.
41 Action News sat down with Kathy Nelson, CEO of the Kansas City Sports Commission, the night play was put on hold.
"This one might just be the craziest thing I've ever seen in my adult life dealing with sports," she said at the time.
Reflecting on that moment now, Nelson said even knowing it was the right thing to do didn't make the decision easy.
"I think I was feeling guilty. I felt like we may have just ruined a young person's last game," she said. "I knew that decision was made with the right plan. I knew it was the right decision. I knew that everyone involved in that decision did the right thing, but still that feeling of loss."
One year later, the Big 12 men's and women's championships have tipped off in Kansas City.
"So much is different, but we still have that same energy and that same feeling. It's more complicated to put on a championship, a men's and women's basketball championship, during a pandemic. I never, ever thought I would say that," Nelson said.
The hardest part, Neslon said, is figuring out how to keep everyone healthy.
"The whole medical and health piece is new and complicated, scary at times. How do you keep everyone safe? I want my staff to be safe. I want the athletes to be safe. How do you work through that? It's a whole 'nother level, Nelson said. "We might, if we don't feel great, go get tested. These athletes are being tested every single day. They have to have a test before they leave campus. They'll be tested when they arrive and then they're tested every single day here."
All the teams are staying at one hotel, to create a bubble of sorts. Sports commission staff is significantly reduced at the games. Capacity at the T-Mobile Center is reduced and masks are required, along with pod seating for fans.
"I feel like we're at the finish line and now we just need to lean forward and get across that. I feel like this is the right step to get that door open. We're ready for this. We're ready to showcase, on the national television spotlight, what our city does around college basketball," Nelson said.
The spotlight will again be on Kansas City on March 18 for the men's NAIA Division 1 championship.
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