Hockey East playoffs to go without fans amid coronavirus outbreak

Some college teams in the U.S. will be playing in empty arenas this weekend because of the coronavirus. (Getty Images)

This story will be updated as new developments occur. Last update: Wednesday, 5:03 p.m. ET.

As the coronavirus continues to cause the cancellation of large events across the country and states of emergency are declared in Massachusetts and Connecticut, new developments continue to surround the Hockey East tournament, which kicks into high gear this weekend.

For its part, ahead of both March Madness and the Frozen Four, the NCAA issued a statement Wednesday by commissioner Mark Emmert saying the basketball tournament would be played in empty buildings, with only essential staff attending. There were no immediate specifics on whether this would also include the Frozen Four.