Under normal circumstances, today -- Friday, March 19th -- was going to be a big day in downtown Wichita.
Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita was set to host the NCAA men's basketball tournament for the second time in four years. Four games would have been scheduled for Wichita on Friday the 19th, with radio & television coverage from across the nation.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc with just about every aspect of existence during the past year, including the NCAA men's Tournament. The tourney was completely scrapped in 2020, and this year, the entire tournament is being played in the Indianapolis area.
Wichita was among 13 cities planning to host tournament games this year, but got passed over when the NCAA had to adjust its circumstances to deal with the coronavirus.
Now, it's a four-year wait -- Wichita is not scheduled to host NCAA men's tournament games again until the year 2025.