With two years added to the agreement, the number of NCAA tournament games at UD Arena will grow to 153 games in 2028. No venue has hosted more NCAA tournament games than UD Arena. The number grew to 137 in 2024. The arena first hosted games in 1970, the same season it opened.
“Dayton, Ohio and the University of Dayton Arena have tipped off the NCAA tournament since 2001, UD Vice-President and Director of Athletics Neil Sullivan said in a press release. “Our region is uniquely qualified to continue our long-standing and successful partnership with the NCAA, and we are excited that partnership yields another extension of the NCAA First Four.
“We have successfully hosted over 137 NCAA basketball tournament games, including the Opening Round and First Four since its inception. We have delivered, and will continue to deliver, capacity crowds and a preeminent Championship experience for teams, tournament officials, fans, visiting media and broadcast partners. We stand on the efforts of the Big Hoopla, the LOC (Local Organizing Committee) and our entire region to make this happen.”
UD has played host to the First Four since it began in 2011. Prior to the First Four, UD Arena hosted an opening-round game, or play-in game.
The NCAA tournament has started at UD Arena every year since 2001, except 2020 when the tournament was cancelled because of the pandemic, and 2021, when the entire tournament took place in Indiana.
UD bids on the right to host the First Four every few years. In 2017, the agreement was extended through 2022. In 2020, it was extended through 2026.
Scott DeBolt, the director of UD Arena since December 2013, said UD put in the bid to continue hosting the First Four last winter. Dayton was one of 240 host sites for various championships in different sports announced by the NCAA. There were more than 1,200 bids.
“We’ve hosted more NCAA tournament games than any other building in the country,” DeBolt said. “We don’t take that for granted, and we’re very proud of it.”
About the Author
