Las Vegas A First-Time Player: NCAA Names Men’s Final Four Sites 2027-30
Tuesday, November 22, 2022 at 07:06PM By Barry Janoff
November 22, 2022: One day after the NCAA Div. I Women's Basketball Committee unveiled the five cities selected to host the Women's Final Four from 2027 through 2031, the Div. I Men's Basketball Committee selected four sites to host the 2027-2030 Men's Final Fours.
The sites, venues and scheduled dates for the Men’s Final Fours include:
• Detroit (Ford Field) April 3-5, 2027
• Las Vegas (Allegiant Stadium) April 1-3, 2028
• Indianapolis (Lucas Oil Stadium) March 31-April 2, 2029
• Arlington, North Texas (AT&T Stadium) April 6-8, 2030.
The committee previously awarded the 2023 Men's Final Four to Houston (NRG Stadium, March 31-April 3), followed by Phoenix (State Farm Stadium, April 6-8, 2024), San Antonio (Alamodome April 5-7, 2025) and Indianapolis (Lucas Oil Field, April 4-6, 2026).
Las Vegas will be a first-time Men’s Final Four host. Las Vegas will also host the NIT semi-finals (Orleans Arena) March 28-30, 2023.
The $2 billion, 65,000-seat Allegiant Stadium, home to the Las Vegas Raiders, is scheduled to be the site for Super Bowl LVIII in February 2024, hosted the NFL 2022 Pro Bowl and will also be the site for the NFL 2023 Pro Bowl.
“The Raiders are thrilled to welcome the NCAA and college basketball fans from around the world to Las Vegas and our home at Allegiant Stadium,” Sandra Douglass Morgan, president of the Raiders and a member of the Las Vegas NCAA Final Four bid team, said via the team.
“Our facility is a state-of-the-art, ideal venue for world-class sporting events.”
“The Final Four is one of the marquee events in sports and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to be the host in 2028,” Steve Hill, CEO and president for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, said via the organization.
“The excitement of Final Four basketball combined with the energy of Las Vegas will create an unforgettable experience for teams and fans alike."
"We are excited to bring the NCAA's premier championship to Las Vegas, a city that for a number of years has hosted numerous championships from several member conferences," Chris Reynolds, athletics director at Bradley and the chair of the committee, said via the NCAA.
"The feedback from leagues, the fans of their teams and the media covering the events staged there has been overwhelmingly positive, and we are confident we'll get the same reviews when the Men's Final Four is played at Allegiant Stadium."
Detroit previously hosted the Men’s Final Four in 2009.
Indianapolis in 2026 will host the Men’s Final Four for the eighth time, and then for a record ninth time in 2029.
Indianapolis also previously hosted in 1980, 1991, 1997, 2000, 2006, 2010, 2015 and 2021.
Arlington, North Texas hosted in 1986 and 2014.
"We were really impressed with how the presenters from Detroit and North Texas rebounded from the disappointment of not being awarded a Final Four in the previous cycle and put their best foot forward during this entire process," Reynolds said.
"These communities should be proud of the leadership displayed by everyone involved with making these bids and ultimately earning the privilege to host an event of this magnitude. Both will be great locations at which to play the Final Four."
The sites, venues and scheduled dates for the Women’s Final Four include: Columbus, Ohio (Nationwide Arena) April 2-4, 2027; Indianapolis (Gainbridge Fieldhouse) March 31-April 2, 2028; San Antonio (Alamodome) March 30-April 1, 2029; Portland, Ore. (Moda Center) April 5-7, 2030; and Dallas (American Airlines Center) April 4-6, 2031.
Dallas will host the upcoming Women’s Final Four March 31-April 2, 2023, followed by Cleveland (Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse) April 5 and 7, 2024), Tampa Bay (Amalie Arena) April 4 and 6, 2025) and Phoenix (Footprint Center), April 3 and 5, 2026.
The landscape of the Women’s and Men’s Final Four might change dramatically in 2032.
The NCAA earlier this year said the potential of holding both Final Fours in the same location on the same weekend “one of several recommendations from an external review of gender equity issues in connection with NCAA championships.”
After what it described as several months of exploration, the NCAA said a proposal stage a combined Final Four would not happen until at least 2032.
"The joint meetings between the two committees have produced thorough and productive conversations,” Tom Burnett, former chair of the Div. I Men's Basketball Committee and commissioner of the Southland Conference, said via the NCAA.
“We all want to find ways to benefit the experience of all the student-athletes, coaches and fans of NCAA college basketball. If both committees agree that the recommendation of having both Final Fours in the same city is the best option, we are committed to seeing that it will be executed with comprehensive planning."
Selection Sunday for the Men’s Div. I tournament is scheduled for March 12.
NCAA Women’s Final Four Host Cites For 2027-31
NCAA Eyes March Mad Sites, Renews With Wilson
NCAA: No Plan For Combined Final Four Until At Least 2032
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