KemperLesnik, long-time Tournament Organizers for the Maui Invitational, announced that MAKO Medical will serve as the official COVID-19 testing partner for the 2020 Tournament. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Camping World Maui Invitational will be hosted in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Asheville, NC Nov. 30 – Dec. 2. Tournament organizers, in conjunction with stakeholders including the NCAA, County of Maui, Hawaii State Health Officials, Chaminade University Officials and participating schools, made the decision to relocate based on the new NCAA- adjusted schedule and the potential health and safety implications to fans and participants.
In partnership with MAKO Medical, the Buncombe County Health and Human Services and local hotels, the Tournament will create a “Maui Bubble” in Asheville to help reduce the risk and spread of COVID-19 and protect participating teams, staff and residents.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, MAKO Medical rapidly altered its laboratory services model to provide COVID-19 testing services, administering over 2 million COVID-19 tests from more than 20 states in the U.S. since the start of the pandemic. MAKO partners with medical providers, employers and governments to turn around COVID-19 test results quickly and accurately. As part of the Tournament’s health and safety protocol, MAKO Medical will provide precise daily Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) COVID-19 tests to be administered to teams, staff and partners within the Maui Bubble.
“We’re proud to partner with the Camping World Maui Invitational as the official COVID-19 testing partner,” said Chad Price, CEO of MAKO Medical. “Our rapid testing is utilized by over 20 state governments to provide fast and accurate results. Due to the Tournament’s needs for a quick turnaround, MAKO Medical is a perfect fit.”
The 2020 Camping World Maui Invitational will feature top programs including the University of Alabama, Davidson College, Indiana University, University of North Carolina, Providence College, University of Texas, Stanford and UNLV.
“The Maui Invitational has always been about the best of college basketball,” said Dave Odom, Tournament Chairman for the Camping World Maui Invitational. “While we’re faced with a unique year, we’re grateful to be able to continue to put on a premier event that sets the tone for the college basketball season.”
In accordance with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services as a result of the ongoing pandemic, the Tournament is working closely with local and state authorities to operate and align with their mass gathering guidelines. Due to these restrictions the Tournament is operating under the guidelines that there will be no fans allowed in the arena. Current All Tournament or Booster Travel Package purchasers have been fully refunded for the original travel purchases. The Maui Invitational along with long-time title sponsor Maui Jim look forward to returning to the Lahaina Civic Center in Maui in 2021.
