Tom Jernstedt worked his first Final Four in 1973 and helped push the growth of the NCAA Tournament from 25 teams to the 68, anything-can-happen bonanza held every spring.

The NCAA will furlough its entire Indianapolis-based staff of about 600 employees for three to eight weeks in a cost-saving move, according to memo obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press.

Many college football players across the country recovering from injuries now have limited access to top-tier equipment and one-on-one help. Some experts say those issues could lengthen recovery times and put athletes at risk of re-injury.

The cancellation of the NCAA men's basketball tournament cost schools $375 million and more losses are expected, especially if football season is disrupted in the fall.

The NCAA announced Thursday it will distribute $225 million to its Division I member schools in June, nearly two-thirds less than the $600 million scheduled to be handed out in installments from April to June.

The organization cited the evolving COVID-19 health threat for its decision and not wanting to contribute to spreading what has been labeled a pandemic by the World Health Organization.

The NCAA canceled its men's and women's basketball tournaments on Thursday because of the spread of coronavirus, putting an abrupt end to the season less than a month before champions were to be crowned.

In a statement, NCAA President Mark Emmert said the decision comes after careful thought on what would be best for the public, including fans, coaches and student-athletes.

Right now, NCAA rules prevent student athletes from making money in all kinds of ways, including profiting off their own business, unless they receive a waiver.

Purdue University Athletics Department officials say its too soon to tell whether the school will adopt its own policy.