Bid, Shoot, Score: NCAA Women’s Final Four Host Cites For 2027-2031
Monday, November 21, 2022 at 07:24PM By Barry Janoff
November 21, 2022: If you enjoy planning your trips early, especially when it comes to the NCAA basketball Final Four, now is the time to book your stay in Columbus, Indianapolis, San Antonio, Portland and Dallas.
The NCAA Div. I Women's Basketball Committee today selected those five cities to host the Women's Final Four from 2027 through 2031.
The sites, venues and scheduled dates include:
Sacramento (Golden 1 Center) and Tampa (Amalie Arena) were also among the seven cities named as finalists in June.
"The Women's Final Four is the premier women's basketball event in the country, and it's exciting to see the unprecedented amount of interest from cities to host in the future," Lisa Peterson, who in October was named chair of the Div. I Women's Basketball Committee and is also senior associate commissioner for sports management with the Pac-12, said via the NCAA.
"The committee appreciates all the cities involved in the highly competitive bid process. When we crown a national champion in the selected cities, our student-athletes, coaches and fans will have enjoyed an amazing championship experience."
Portland will be hosting the Women's Final Four for the first time. It will also mark the first time the Women’s Div. I Final Four will be held in Oregon.
Portland’s Moda Center hosted the 2019 NCAA Div. I Women's Basketball Championship regional play and was set to host in 2020 before the cancellation of the tournament due to COVID-19.
Columbus and Nationwide Arena previously hosted in 2018.
Indianapolis has hosted the Women's Final Four three times: 2005 (RCA Dome), 2011 and 2016.
San Antonio previously hosted the Women's Final Four three times: 2002, 2010 and 2021, when, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, San Antonio and the surrounding region played host to the entire 63-game NCAA Div. I Women's Basketball Championship.
Dallas will be hosting for a third time: 2017 and the upcoming Women’s Final Four, scheduled for March 31-April 2, 2023.
The NCAA Div. I Men's Basketball Committee conducted its annual fall meeting at the beginning of November in Houston, site of the 2023 Div. I Men’s Final Four in NRG Stadium (April 1-3, 2023), where representatives from prospective Men's Final Four cities made their pitches to host the event from 2027 and beyond.
The NCAA did not reveal which cities had made presentations.
“The committee has not reached a final approved decision on awarding future Men's Final Four sites but is expected to do so later this month,” according to the NCAA.
“We are grateful to all of the cities that submitted bids to host future Women’s Final Fours," Nina King, who served as chair of the NCAA Div. I Women's Basketball Committee from 2020-22 and is also AD at Duke, said in June when the semi-finalists were named.
"The increased interest in this bid cycle, from so many cities throughout the country, is a result of the continuous growth of women’s basketball and support for this premier national women’s championship. We are confident that a Women’s Final Four held at any of these sites would flourish."
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 was “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, which would follow the next bidding process for Final Four host cities from 2027-2031.
"Before additional modifications are made, it is important to see the effect of an expanded bracket, the use of March Madness branding and increased support from corporate partners,' King said earlier this year via the NCAA.
In addition to Dallas in 2023, the other cities previously chosen to host prior to 2027 are 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 68 teams participating in the 2023 championship will be named on Selection Sunday, March 12, as part of the ESPN Selection Show.
For the 20th consecutive year, an ESPN channel will broadcast all games of the 2023 NCAA Div. I Women's Basketball Championship, with ABC airing the 2023 NCAA national championship game for the first time.
NCAA Eyes March Mad Sites, Renews With Wilson
No Plan For Combined Final Four Until At Least 2032
NCAA Opens Process For Div. I Women’s Hoops 2027-31
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