The NCAA yesterday named Dayton “as the First Four host city” from ’16-18, continuing a run at the city for the event “since its inception” in ‘11, according to Joe Cogliano of the DAYTON BUSINESS JOURNAL. NCAA officials indicated that the Dayton region “has embraced the event, which played heavily into the decision.” Multiple sites “have bid to host the First Four,” but only Dayton and Sioux Falls, S.D., “went public with their intentions” (BIZJOURNALS.com, 11/17). In Dayton, David Jablonski noted Dayton “had already secured the event" through '15 at UD Arena. The NCAA also announced the “two rounds following the First Four will go back to being known as the first and second rounds.” They had been called the second and third rounds “with the idea that the First Four was the first round and the NCAA didn’t want the games called play-in games, but that created confusion.” First- and second-round sites for ‘16-18 were announced Monday, but Dayton “was not awarded games for those rounds in any of the years” (DAYTONDAILYNEWS.com, 11/17). In South Dakota, Terry Vandrovec notes while Sioux Falls “came up short in its first attempt to host” the First Four, bid organizers were “buoyed by the consideration they seemed to receive during the process” (Sioux Falls ARGUS LEADER, 11/18).
THE HOSTS WITH THE MOST: The NCAA yesterday announced preliminary round host sites for the '16-18 NCAA Tournaments. The '16 tournament features two new hosts as Brooklyn and Des Moines join Providence, St. Louis, Raleigh, Oklahoma City, Denver and Spokane as first- and second-round sites. The East Regional will be played in Philadelphia. The Midwest Regional will take place in Chicago, while the South Regional will be played in Louisville and the West Regional will be held in Anaheim. The NCAA selected Salt Lake City as a first- and second-round site for the '17 tourney, joining Buffalo, Greensboro, Milwaukee, Orlando, Tulsa, Sacramento and Indianapolis. K.C. will be the site for the '17 Midwest Regional, San Jose will host the West Regional, Memphis will host the South Regional, while the East Regional returns to Madison Square Garden. Charlotte will host first- and second-round games of the '18 tourney, joined by Pittsburgh, Detroit, Nashville, Dallas, Boise, San Diego and Wichita, which is hosting for the first time since '94. The committee selected Boston as the East Regional host, while Omaha was selected to host the Midwest Regional, L.A. was selected to host in the West and Atlanta was chosen in the South (NCAA). In K.C., Blair Kerkhoff notes all of the regional sites are "in traditional arenas, no domes or retractable-roof stadiums." The NCAA is "seeking a better game-day atmosphere in full arenas rather than half-filled domes." Also, unlike in previous years, the NCAA "did not require a Final Four host city to hold a regional final in the previous year as something of a dress rehearsal." That "opened the field for more cities without domes." NCAA VP/Men's Basketball Championship Dan Gavitt said that 57 cities "bid for the preliminary rounds, which were awarded to 36 sites" (K.C. STAR, 11/18).
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The under-construction Red Wings arena will host NCAA
tournament games in '18 |
NEW DIGS BRING THE BIGS: In Sacramento, Ryan Lillis notes having the new NBA Kings' arena under construction was "good enough to persuade the NCAA to bring March Madness back" in '17. The games will be "played in the arena roughly five months after it is scheduled to open." Sacramento "had made two unsuccessful bids to land the prestigious event since last hosting the tournament" in '07. While the NCAA "never directly blamed the lack of a new arena for passing over Sacramento," officials said yesterday that the city’s bid "was boosted" by the $477M arena. Gavitt said, "A new facility has an enormous impact on a bid" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 11/18). In Detroit, Matt Charboneau notes the new Red Wings arena "only broke ground a few weeks ago and it already has its first event booked" with the first- and second-round NCAA Tournament games in '18. The tournament committee has "not shied away from selecting arenas that are under construction as Detroit is one of several announced" (DETROIT NEWS, 11/18). Also in Detroit, John Gallagher notes by the time the tournament arrives in '18, the surrounding arena district "should start to see construction of the new residential, retail, and entertainment venues promised" by the Illitch family, which owns the Red Wings (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 11/18).
AN APPLE A DAY: In N.Y., Roger Rubin notes the first-round games in '16 at Barclays Center will be the "first tournament games ever played in Brooklyn." It seems Brooklyn is "trendy in a lot of ways these days and so it is with Barclays Center and college basketball." Duke, Virginia, Villanova, Iowa State and VCU all "will play games there this season." The ACC "will also have its conference tournament" at Barclays in '17 and '18 (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 11/18). Meanwhile, in Newark, Andrew Garda noted this will be the "second time in four years" MSG will host the East Regional after a 53-year absence (NJ.com, 11/17).
LADIES NIGHT: In Dallas, Jeff Mosier notes the NCAA yesterday announced Women's Final Four sites for '17-20, and the '17 event at American Airlines Center will mark the "first time the women's championship has gone to North Texas." Other cities with winning bids were Columbus, Ohio ('18), Tampa ('19) and New Orleans ('20). The NCAA "considers a city’s support of women’s sports when deciding on a host." American Airlines Center in '11 hosted an NCAA women's tournament regional, which "drew some of the largest crowds of the tournament." The NCAA on Thursday is expected to announce "future early-round tournament sites, which Dallas officials also hope to land" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 11/18). In Columbus, Jim Massie notes seven cities were "vying for a Final Four" between '17 and '20, and Houston, Nashville and Pittsburgh "will have to try again." But trying again is "what Columbus had to do when the city was an also-ran" in '08. Ohio State AD Gene Smith, whose school will serve as host for the '18 event, "saw a night-and-day difference in the way the city presented itself to the NCAA this time." Smith called it "one of the best team presentations that I've ever been a part of" (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 11/18). In Tampa, Joey Knight writes yesterday's announcement that the '19 Women's Final Four will be played at Amalie Arena "served to expand the area's constellation of glistening collegiate showcase events." Tampa will host the Frozen Four for the second time in '16 and the College Football Championship in '17 (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 11/18). In New Orleans, Trey Iles noted the city will "host its record fourth Women's Final Four" in '20 at Smoothie King Center (NOLA.com, 11/17).
