NCAA: No Plan For United Men’s-Women’s Hoops Final Four Site Until At Least 2032
Saturday, February 19, 2022 at 09:27PM By Barry Janoff
February 19, 2022: After what it described as several months of exploration, the NCAA said Friday that a proposal to hold the Div. I Men’s and Women’s basketball Final Four on the same weekend in the same city would not happen until at least 2032.
The unanimous decision was made by the Div. I Women's and Men's Basketball Committees and approved by the Women's and Men's Basketball Oversight Committees.
The committees determined a combined Final Four would not be included in the upcoming bid process for cities hoping to host Final Fours from 2027 through 2031, scheduled to be awarded this fall.
"We are excited about the enhancements that will already be in place for the 2022 championship and Women's Final Four in Minneapolis for fans and participating student-athletes," Nina King, chair of the Women's Basketball Committee and athletics director at Duke, said via the NCAA.
“Before additional modifications are made to the tournament's format and structure, it is important to us to see, for example, the effect an expanded bracket, the use of March Madness branding, and increased support from corporate partners can have on growing the women's game and the women's basketball championship."
The NCAA said the combined Final Four was “one of several recommendations from an external review of gender equity issues in connection with NCAA championships, including issues that were noted during the 2021 Division I Women's Basketball Championship.”
During the upcoming site selection process, the committees said they would “continue to consider potential modifications to the championships that would maintain the integrity of each.”
Among the concepts under consideration would be conducting the men’s and women’s Final Fours on different weekends.
"In addition to the enhancements already approved, evaluating the possibility of separating the Men's and Women's Final Four championships on alternating weekends has tremendous potential," Bernadette McGlade, commissioner of the Atlantic 10 Conference, current member of the Division I Men's Basketball Committee and former chair of the Women's Basketball Committee, said via the NCAA.
"The student-athletes, coaches and institutions participating in these two iconic events would have the spotlight, media bandwidth and full national attention that they both deserve.”
According to McGlade, “Professionally, institutional administrative leaders, athletic directors, commissioners, corporate partners, event organizers, basketball fans and families could enjoy, celebrate and most importantly participate by attending two of the most celebrated championships in the NCAA."
The 2022 Women’s Div. I basketball Final Four is scheduled for the Target Center In Minneapolis, April 1 and April 3.
The 2022 Men’s Div. basketball Final Four is scheduled for the Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, April 2 and April 4.
Upcoming dates include:
Men’s Final Four: April 1/3, 2023 Houston NRG Stadium; April 6/8, 2024 University of Phoenix Stadium; April 5/7, 2025 San Antonio Alamodome; and April 4/6, 2026 Indianapolis Lucas Oil Stadium.
Women’s Final Four: March 31/April 2, 2023 in American Airlines Center, Dallas; April 5/7, 2024 in Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland; April 4/6, 2025 in Amalie Arena in Tampa; and April 3/5, 2026 in Footprint Center, Phoenix.
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