Monday, October 12, 2026
  • -
    days
  • -
    hours
  • -
    minutes
  • -
    seconds

Upon Arrival

  • Whether at the top of the AP Poll or a surprise bid, 67 of 68 teams have made it inside the March Madness semi-bubble.
  • Here’s what the first few days have been like as teams have quarantined and started to practice.
Photo: BYU Athletics/Design: Alex Brooks

Want more from Front Office Sports
in your search results?

Add Front Office Sports on Google

After guiding his 8-seed Hoyas on their improbable run at Madison Square Garden, Patrick Ewing could have been granted anything he wanted.

Anything besides clean clothes, that is.

“Normally after the Big East Tournament, you get to go home, regroup, do laundry, get fresh clothes, and then leave,” Ewing told reporters upon arriving in Indianapolis. “Everything that we have, that’s all dirty.”

Here’s how teams have gotten basic essentials inside the bubble, from laundry to lunch.

Spin Cycle

As of Tuesday, with or without fresh shirts and socks, every team except Virginia had arrived inside the semi-bubble. 

The NCAA told FOS (and hopefully Patrick Ewing) it will clean athletes’ practice clothes every day. For “personal” laundry, teams will fill bags with dirty clothes to be brought to external washing and dry cleaning services.

If a team advances, their game-worn clothes will be washed as well. The NCAA did not specify what happens to losers’ laundry.

Swag Bags

The NCAA gifted athletes duffel bags full of free March Madness towels, hats — and clothes, photos show.

The NCAA also gave every player the new book about legendary Georgetown coach John Thompson, Jr. called I Came As A Shadow. 

Ironically, the book details Thompson’s disdain for the NCAA’s refusal to pay players.

Fine Dining?

Team members picked what they would eat in quarantine from a menu provided a couple days in advance, Tony Price, Maryland assistant director of video production, told FOS. Meals appeared at hotel doorsteps, packaged in brown bags and black plastic containers.

For lunch on Tuesday, for example, Price ate a grilled chicken breast and multigrain roll, along with corn, mashed potatoes and a salad. “It’s pretty good,” he said.

The hotel also dropped off a box of condiments including everything “from steak sauce to barbeque sauce.”  And if anyone gets hungry in between meals, there’s a snack box.

“I could be looking through rose-colored glasses,” Price said. But so far, “they have done a great job taking care of us.”

When they leave quarantine, teams gather in designated meeting rooms to eat from buffets, Ohio State videographer Will Laterza told FOS. Every night for dinner, a different restaurant caters — tonight’s meal will come from a steakhouse.

NCAA SVP of Basketball Dan Gavitt admitted that one team’s breakfast was delayed for almost an hour, and promised it wouldn’t happen again.

The general manager of the JW Marriott declined to provide menus to FOS, citing an NCAA request to not share specifics of the bubble.

Download the FOS App

The business of sports, in your pocket.

QR code to download the app

Scan the QR code to get the app now.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Dec 20, 2025; Eugene, OR, USA; James Madison Dukes quarterback Alonza Barnett III (14) rushes during the fourth quarter against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium

James Madison Joins the American Before Sun Belt Exit Fees Rise

JMU’s move beats a pending vote on higher Sun Belt exit fees.

Kentucky Will Pay LSU $500K SEC Field-Storming Fine

The SEC changed its fine policy ahead of the 2025 football season.

Belichick, UNC Score Biggest Win Yet After Rocky Offseason

Belichick’s revamped UNC roster is beginning to show signs of progress.
Marina Williams-Walter Cronkite Sports Network

ASU Hockey Home Opener Marred by Player Collapse Fallout

ASU’s hockey home opener featured more absences amid an ongoing investigation.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

10/9/26 – MLB’s 154-Game Pitch, NFL Bets on SCOTUS, Shaq Says Barkley Isn’t Leaving

0:00

Featured Today

Oct 5, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas arrives at the arena before the Penguins host the Winnipeg Jets at PPG Paints Arena

NHL’s New Wave of GMs Is Built Different

“I am in the prediction business,” Devils GM Sunny Mehta tells FOS.
Action Images/Peter Cziborra
October 9, 2026

Is Leicester City’s $264 Million Price Tag Too Rich for Hungry Investors?

After falling from grace, how much is a former top club worth?
Oct 3, 2026; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer waits to run onto the field prior to the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
October 7, 2026

Who Is Alabama Football in Year 3 Under Kalen DeBoer?

The No. 6 Crimson Tide host No. 2 Georgia on Saturday.
Cubs behind the scenes
October 6, 2026

Hollywood and TikTok: Sports Media’s New ‘Blueprint’

Teams and leagues are pouring money into the quest for fans.
October 2, 2026

How the Baseball Cap Became a ‘Behemoth’

The hat has become essential for athletes, fans, and the sports-agnostic.

Georgia-Alabama Braces for Hurricane, Trump Won’t Attend

Alabama banned tailgating and all outdoor activities on campus before noon.
Oregon head coach Dan Lanning talks to Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola on the sideline as the Oregon Ducks face the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Sept. 12, 2026, at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
October 9, 2026

How Oregon Beat College Football’s ‘Impossible’ Backup QB Market

Dylan Raiola will get the first start of his Oregon career on Saturday.
Mar 29, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers mens basketball head coach Will Wade looks on against the Houston Rockets during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
October 9, 2026

LSU Finally Reveals 10-Player Roster in Will Wade’s Exhibition Return

The game offered a glimpse into which LSU players are eligible.
Sponsored

Beyond the Scorecard: How Dow Is Putting Purpose at the Center of Women’s Golf

Discover how Dow and the LPGA are building a partnership with lasting impact.
Jan 20, 2026; Miami, FL, USA; College Football Playoff executive director Rich Clark during the CFP host committee handoff press conference at Marriott Marquis Miami. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
First at FOS
October 8, 2026

CFP Director Supportive of 24 Teams, Endorses College Sports Bill

Rich Clark said a potential 24-team Playoff would be “spectacular.”
Farah O’Keefe NCAA
October 8, 2026

No. 1 Women’s Amateur Golfer Discusses Life As an ‘Infant Pro’

Farah O’Keefe won her first NCAA title in June.
October 8, 2026

ICE Has Detained Another College Basketball Player

A Chinese player at Mississippi Valley State was detained Sept. 29.
October 7, 2026

LSU Still Lists Just Four Players on Eve of First Exhibition Game

LSU still doesn’t list enough players to fill out a starting five.