Why is First Four always played in Dayton? March Madness play-in runs through Ohio

For the better part of a quarter century, the road to the Final Four has begun in Dayton.

The same is true this year, when the 2024 NCAA Tournament tips off with the First Four. Eight teams from the initial 68-team bracket will vie for the final four spots in the regular 64-team field, attempting to play their way in at the University of Dayton's UD Arena.

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Even before the First Four was created in 2011, the Gem City was host to March Madness play-in games, dating back to 2001, when the NCAA Tournament bracket expanded from 64 teams to 65. The only exceptions came in 2020 — when the tournament was canceled amid the COVID-19 pandemic — and in 2021, when the tournament was held entirely in the state of Indiana.

Teams to win their First Four play-in game also have a track record of success, reaching the second round in 11 of 12 seasons since its inception. Taking it a step further, VCU in 2011 and UCLA in 2021 made runs to the Final Four as First Four teams.

All that to say: The First Four is more than a formality to set the 64-team field. But, why is it always held in Dayton?

Here's all you need to know:

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Why is First Four always in Dayton?

The NCAA notes Dayton has an "impressive history as a college basketball town."

Indeed, it has always hosted NCAA Tournament play-in games. That dates back to 2001, when the Mountain West Conference (which split away from the WAC in 1999), qualified for an automatic berth in the tournament. Instead of removing an at-large bid, the NCAA added a team, creating the first play-in game in March Madness history.

Why was Dayton chosen to host? It has several advantages: For one, it's in the Eastern Time zone, which is preferable for TV audiences. It also offers a geographically central location that, according to a 2018 report by the Dayton Business Journal, is within 600 miles of 53% of the U.S. population. And the Dayton International Airport — which has the slogan "Easy To and Through" — offers easy travel for fans who want to cheer their teams.

Those advantages helped Dayton host every play-in game from 2001-10 — and beyond. When the NCAA announced its 14-year, $10.8 billion broadcast rights deal with CBS and Turner Broadcasting in April 2010, it included the expansion of the tournament from 65 teams to 68: the birth of the First Four, beginning with the 2011 NCAA Tournament.

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith — then the chair of the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Committee — said Dayton's sizable crowds in those play-in games made it the logical choice to host the inaugural First Four.

"We explored different options, including playing the first-round games at multiple sites as well as the possibility of playing all games on one day, but we came to the conclusion that Dayton is the best location to host all four games for the 2011 tournament," he said at the time.

Thirteen years later, it appears to still hold that distinction.

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Despite having a population of just over 137,000, Dayton has actually hosted more NCAA Tournament games than any city, with 133. The NCAA chose correctly when selecting its host for the First Four Also: Dayton, also known as "The Epicenter of College Basketball," is known for bringing great atmosphere to the First Four and other tournament games.

The City of Dayton in 2020 reached an extension with the NCAA to host First Four games through at least the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Ohio lawmakers have routinely lobbied for Dayton not only to continue hosting the First Four, but also to host first- and second-round games in the 2027 and 2028 NCAA tournaments.

U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown and J.D. Vance, as well as U.S. Reps. Warren Davidson and Michael Turner, penned a letter to the NCAA in February espousing Dayton's history as a college basketball city. Their letter reads, in part:

"UD Arena’s storied tradition of hosting NCAA tournament games stretches back to 1970, just one year after it opened. Since then, UD Arena has hosted more than 130 men’s tournament games, including the first two rounds of the 2001, 2006, 2009, and 2013 tournaments. Dayton’s First Four tradition even stole political spotlights in 2012, when then-President (Barack) Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron watched a game in UD Arena’s courtside seats. UD Arena has demonstrated that they can successfully host the NCAA tournament in the past and is eager to do so in 2027 and 2028."

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What is the First Four?

The First Four is essentially the play-in round of the NCAA Tournament, where eight teams compete for the final four spots in the 64-team field.

The First Four was created in 2011 when the NCAA expanded March Madness from 65 to 68 teams; beginning in 2001, there was a single play-in game that served as a direct predecessor of the First Four.

How are First Four teams selected?

The First Four teams consist of the four lowest-ranked automatic qualifiers and the four lowest-ranked at-large teams. The NCAA ranks all 68 teams selected for the Big Dance from 1-68, which decides the First Four matchups.

The lowest-ranked automatic qualifiers always play for a 16 seed, while the lowest-ranked at-large teams typically play for an 11 seed, but sometimes a 12 seed and less often a 13 or 14 seed.

First Four matchups 2024

Here are the four First Four games for the 2024 NCAA Tournament:

• (16) Wagner vs. Howard (6:40 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 19)

• (10) Colorado State vs. Virginia (9:10 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 19)

• (16) Grambling vs. Montana State (6:40 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 20)

• (10) Boise State vs. Colorado (9:10 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 20)

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Why is First Four always in Dayton? NCAA Tournament play-in, explained