2024 Final Four is in Arizona this year. Here's why Phoenix was chosen
The West region has often been left out from hosting the Men’s Basketball Final Four as the NCAA requires an indoor, 70,000 minimum-capacity venue.
But Greater Phoenix has fit that bill, and has been the only host west of Texas since Seattle in 1995.
Phoenix will once again have hosting duties with the 2024 Final Four at State Farm Stadium on April 6 and 8. This will be the second Final Four that Arizona has hosted, the first being in 2017.
Dan Gavitt, the NCAA's senior vice president of basketball, spoke to The Arizona Republic about bringing the major event back to Phoenix and what the experience was like seven years ago.
Why Phoenix has stood out in the West
“This community has an incredible history of hosting major events — Super Bowls, bowl games, NBA All-Star Game — so we have a high level of confidence that this community knows how to host a major event like ours. Of course, 2017 was very successful and it was the second-highest attended Men’s Final Four ever. That plays a lot into our decision-making and the NCAA has other championships that are held here in the Valley of the Sun as well. When you have success, you like to bring success back.”
The significance of the NCAA's 70,000 capacity requirement
“The demand for tickets is so high now that it would be a disservice to our fans to have a championship game in a smaller venue. We think we’ve nailed how we’ve organized the venue and the court and the experience for the players. For a player to play in front of 70,000-plus fans, (even) if they make it all the way to the NBA Finals or the Olympics, they’ll never play in an environment like they will in the Final Four.”
Feedback from the 2017 Final Four teams
“It was really positive. The fan support was off the charts. The experience that they and their families had here in the Valley of the Sun, the weather, the hospitality, and the fact that the game is a little earlier too. When the games are earlier, that means that after the game you can have family time and dinner afterwards and experience everything this incredible area has to offer. We had two teams where it was their first Final Four in Gonzaga and South Carolina. Oregon hadn’t been in the Final Four since the very first year of the event. Of course, North Carolina, it was their seventh NCAA championship. Very positive experience for all four teams.”
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 2024 Final Four is in Phoenix this year. Here's why
