NCAA VP/Men's Basketball Championships Dan Gavitt said the Univ. of Dayton and the city have "done a fantastic job" hosting the NCAA Tournament's First Four games, noting it marks "truly the start of the tournament," according to David Jablonski of the DAYTON DAILY NEWS. Gavitt said, "It's a great start to March Madness." Gavitt, on the school's chances of continuing to host the First Four, said, "This spring we start a new bid cycle for all preliminary rounds from 2019 to 2022. So we're anticipating some conversations with Dayton that they'll be interested in continuing to host the First Four, as well as first and second rounds." Jablonski noted Dayton played a home game in the First Four last year, and Gavitt said, "The basketball committee spent an enormous amount of time talking about that issue last summer as part of their annual meeting. Certainly, I think it's fair to say it's not an ideal situation. ... The other alternatives have been considered and discussed, but none of them seemed to be as favorable. It will continue to be considered because the history of the tournament is playing on neutral courts." Gavitt, on the decision to go back to calling the rounds after the First Four the first and second rounds, said, "Despite a good effort, I'm not sure if it was ever embraced or loved by the fans and the media. It was a constant struggle to get the second and third rounds used" (DAYTON DAILY NEWS, 2/20). Indiana-based Business Furniture GM Stacey McGlinchey, whose company sponsors the First Four, said, "We all know how hard Dayton has fought to keep the First Four here and want to do our part in making sure it stays right here" (DAYTON BUSINESS JOURNAL, 2/19 issue).
