Coronavirus Update: Summerfest, Brewers, Fiserv , Catholic Mass

MILWAUKEE, WI — As fears of coronavirus spreading through Wisconsin course through our state, many spring events have either been cancelled or postponed. On March 12, we learned about several new changes, as they pertain to MLB Opening Day, Summerfest, Fiserv Forum concerts, the MSOE campus and the NCAA tournament.

March 12: Our Running List Of Coronavirus Cancellations and Changes

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1. Summerfest Is Still A 'Go' In 2020

Summerfest officials reaffirmed Thursday that the popular summer music festival will go on as planned — at least for now — as scores of spring events are either canceled or postponed over coronavirus fears.

"As we prepare for another blockbuster summer, we are faced with unprecedented challenges related to COVID-19. The coronavirus has impacted virtually every industry and the live event business is in a particular fluid state as some events continue as planned, while others are postponed or canceled," Summerfest officials wrote Thursday afternoon. "That said, any decision to alter Summerfest 2020 is a future decision. At the current time, we are moving forward with Summerfest 2020 as planned and look forward to welcoming our fans on June 24."

2. The 2020 NCAA Basketball Tournament Has Been Canceled

In the 2020 NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments, the top seed, coronavirus, will go undefeated.

"Today, NCAA President Mark Emmert and the Board of Governors canceled the Division I men’s and women’s 2020 basketball tournaments, as well as all remaining winter and spring NCAA championships," NCAA officials said in a statement. "This decision is based on the evolving COVID-19 public health threat, our ability to ensure the events do not contribute to spread of the pandemic, and the impracticality of hosting such events at any time during this academic year given ongoing decisions by other entities."

Before Thursday's announcement, tournament officials toyed with the idea of continuing the games by playing them in empty sports arenas. That idea was scrapped in favor of canceling this year's tournament play.

3. MLB Cancels Spring Training, Opening Day Delayed

The Milwaukee Brewers 4-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on March 11 will be the final spring training game for the Crew, as Major League Baseball announced they were cancelling the remainder of the 2020 Spring Training season while also delaying the start of the 2020 MLB regular season over coronavirus concerns.

"MLB and the clubs have been preparing a variety of contingency plans regarding the 2020 regular season schedule," the release stated. "MLB will announce the effects on the schedule at an appropriate time and will remain flexible as events warrant, with the hope of resuming normal operations as soon as possible," MLB said in a statement Thursday afternoon.

The Milwaukee Brewers were originally slated to begin the season at Miller Park on March 26 against the Chicago Cubs. That's not happening any more, MLB says, but we will have to wait to see what their plan will be.

4. MSOE Students In Isolation Following Coronavirus Test

Milwaukee School of Engineering officials say two students have been tested for the coronavirus and are now self-quarantined as a precaution. The students are being monitored pending the outcome of the test, university officials said.

"This is a rapidly evolving situation. We know there are questions that remain unanswered and our Pandemic Response Team is working diligently with university administrators to provide answers and scenarios covering all of them. We are in consultation with public health experts and we will keep you informed," MSOE officials said Thursday afternoon.

5. Fiserv Forum Postpones 3 Concerts

Blake Shelton was originally scheduled to perform on March 20, Michael Buble on March 29, and Dan + Shay on April 11.

According to a FOX 6 report, Dan + Shay will be rescheduled for Aug. 28, Shelton will likely appear in Spring 2021 and no date has been set for Buble's appearance.

He will likely make that appearance in 2021. A Michael Buble concert make-up date has not yet been announced.

6. Catholic Mass Dispensation

The Archdiocese of Milwaukee announced Thursday that Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki has dispensed Catholics from their obligation to attend Sunday Mass due to concerns about the spread of Covid-19, the coronavirus.

Listecki said the dispensation will cover the next two weeks, including Masses for Sundays March 15, 22 and 29. Masses will still be celebrated across the 10 counties of the archdiocese, but the obligation to attend Sunday Mass will be lifted, leaving attendance to people’s individual judgment.

Sunday Mass is available in the archdiocese via broadcast in two forms, officials said: on the radio, at 9 a.m., Sunday on 920 AM, W.O.L.F., and on broadcast television on WVTV, My24 at 7 a.m., and 9 a.m., and on WITI Fox 6, at 5:30 a.m.

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