INDIANAPOLIS -- Indianapolis has been selected as the host of the 2021 NCAA Men’s Final Four. The announcement was made by NCAA Vice President for Men’s Basketball Dan Gavitt and NCAA Men’s Basketball Committee Chair Scott Barnes earlier this evening. The 2021 Men’s Final Four is scheduled for April 3 and 5, 2021at Lucas Oil Stadium, and will be the city’s eighth Men’s Final Four. Indianapolis will host its seventh Men’s Final Four in April of 2015. The eight Men’s Final Fours in Indianapolis are second only to the 10 hosted in Kansas City (most recently in 1988).
“Today is another win for Indianapolis and Indiana,” said Ryan Vaughn, Indiana Sports Corp President. “We appreciate the confidence the NCAA has once again shown in awarding this premier event to our community. Great partners, awesome volunteers, a history of success, and an innovative vision of how this event can continue to grow in Indianapolis contributed to tonight’s announcement. The competition for world-class sporting events has never been greater, but few cities can match what our community offers as a location for hosting great events. We look forward to working with the talented and dedicated staff at the NCAA to host the best Final Four yet.”
Indiana Sports Corp will manage the Indiana Host Committee in partnership with NCAA Host Institutions Horizon League and IUPUI for both the 2015 and 2021 Men’s Final Fours.
“We are pleased to have been chosen by the NCAA men’s basketball committee to host its marquee event – the Final Four,” said Jonathan B. LeCrone, Horizon League Commissioner. “Our partnership with the NCAA, Indiana Sports Corp and IUPUI is one we truly value, and we are privileged to partner with them. Indianapolis takes great pride in hosting this event, ensuring that Indianapolis’ eighth Men’s Final Four is memorable and meaningful to the student-athletes, coaches and fans.”
“We’re certainly excited to bring another NCAA basketball championship event to Indianapolis,” said Michael Moore, IUPUI Director of Athletics. “The NCAA recognizes this city’s long-standing ability to host top quality events and we will continue to raise the bar for other sites across the country. Basketball is woven into the fabric of our state and the continuing efforts to attract NCAA events to Indianapolis and Lucas Oil Stadium play a big part in that.”
Indianapolis previously hosted the Men’s Final Four in 1980 (Market Square Arena); 1991, 1997, 2000, and 2006 at the RCA Dome; and the 2010 Men’s Final Four at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The 2015 Final Four will mark the 22nd time since 1940 that the men’s basketball championship has come to Indianapolis, and the 35th time that the Hoosier State has hosted the tournament. Bloomington, Evansville, Fort Wayne, South Bend, Terre Haute and West Lafayette have also hosted preliminary rounds of the championship. Indianapolis has also been the host for an NCAA Men's Regional on five occasions (1940, 1979, 2009, 2013, and 2014). The city hosted first and second round action in 1978, 1982, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2003, and 2005. In addition, the Women's Final Four has been held in Indianapolis twice (2005 and 2011), with the event scheduled to return in 2016.
The 2016 Men’s Final Four had previously been awarded to Houston. Other cities receiving Men’s Final Fours include Phoenix (2017), San Antonio (2018), Minneapolis (2019), and Atlanta (2020). The NCAA will announce sites for the 2016-2018 preliminary rounds of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament on Monday, November 17 at noon.
Tags: Horizon League - Men's Basketball
