NCAA Mens Final Four Dates

NCAA Men's Final Four Dates are one of the most eagerly anticipated moments in college sports. It's when America watches some of its top teams compete to win a place at the national championship.

This year's tournament boasts 68 teams, with 32 automatic bids and 36 "at-large" selections. Reaching the Final Four remains the ultimate goal for every college basketball program.

Las Vegas

The NCAA has awarded Las Vegas its first men's final four dates, which will be played at T-Mobile Arena this March. Already set to host nine other NCAA championships over the next four years, Las Vegas now has an opportunity to host one of America's greatest sporting events.

The tournament has long been considered one of the world's greatest sporting events, drawing in thousands of viewers to watch and wager on games. But with Formula One racing arriving in Vegas, hotel room rates have shot up dramatically - leaving many residents fearful that prices might skyrocket even higher during the Final Four.

However, the NCAA has begun to relax its prohibition against mixing sports and gambling - leading to fewer fears about high-profile events being held in Las Vegas. The tournament itself has been a major draw for both local gaming businesses and tourism in the city; nearly 3 million people plan trips during March just to enjoy the festivities.

That trend is likely to continue as the city's tourism industry anticipates a boost from visitors and sports betting that comes along with these games. Already a popular destination for other sporting events, the NCAA will only further enhance this by bringing more college basketball games here in the future.

Though the NCAA is an important component of Vegas' economy, it remains a small portion of it. On average, visitors to Las Vegas spend about $2,700 daily at its casinos and hotels.

As with any major event, expect huge crowds. Hotels, restaurants and casinos will likely be packed, so you need to arrive early if you want to avoid long lines.

For a quieter atmosphere to watch the action, there are plenty of bars and restaurants off of the Strip that have plenty of seating as well as various drinks and food choices. If you're in search of something with more of a party vibe, Beer Park at the Paris hotel offers several premium open bar packages during the tournament.

Detroit

The NCAA Men's Final Four dates are an annual tradition in college basketball. Formerly known as March Madness, this tournament begins on the first Saturday in April with two semifinal matchups and concludes on Monday with the national championship game. Each year, millions of spectators pack stadiums nationwide to witness this highly anticipated event.

Ford Field in Detroit will host the 2027 NCAA Mens Final Four dates for the second time ever. This marks Ford Field's second Final Four hosting and marks the first time since 2009 that Michigan State can host since then.

Detroit was chosen to host the 2027 NCAA Men's Final Four after an impressive bid from both the city and NCAA. This bid was a collaboration of Detroit Sports Commission, Visit Detroit, Michigan State University, Ford Field and the Detroit Lions.

In 2009, Ford Field hosted the NCAA Men's Final Four and welcomed 72,922 fans to watch it - making it the fifth-largest crowd to ever watch a college basketball championship game.

At that tournament, Michigan State Spartans defeated UConn in the Final Four but lost to North Carolina for the national championship. This was Tom Izzo's eighth trip to the Final Four and an enormous success for his team and for Detroit as a whole.

Detroit has established itself as a top destination for major sporting events, with other notable occasions including Super Bowl XL, the 2008 NCAA Mens Midwest Basketball Regional and MAC Football Championship.

Another significant event set to take place in Detroit is the 2024 NCAA Mens Final Four. This will mark the sixth time that this Midwest Regional has been held in metro Detroit and third time that Little Caesars Arena will host a regional.

The NCAA has confirmed nine additional dates for the 2019 NCAA Mens Final Four, including Indianapolis, New Orleans, San Antonio and Houston. With these events planned in the future by the NCAA, it's only a matter of time before this renowned tournament returns to Detroit once again.

San Antonio

On Monday, the NCAA awarded San Antonio, Houston and Phoenix/Glendale with the privilege of hosting men's Final Fours in 2023, 2024 and 2025. Indianapolis was also selected by the NCAA to host the women's tournament from 2027-2028 in 2027-2028.

This year's tournament saw a record number of attendees at the Alamodome, including 68,257 for both semifinal games and the national championship. Other venues such as March Madness Music Festival with 145,000 attendees and Fan Fest at the Convention Center with 52,669 people also witnessed strong turnouts.

In 2018, San Antonio witnessed its first championship event thanks to an intense community campaign. City leaders worked tirelessly to bring back the Final Four to Alamodome, which underwent $60 million in improvements and welcomed one of the largest crowds ever for two semifinal games - boasting one of the largest crowds ever witnessed at a Final Four game!

In 2018, the NCAA awarded the Alamodome with hosting rights to the championship game, which Villanova Wildcats eventually won over Michigan. That crown came as part of a tournament featuring other top seeds like UMBC and Loyola Chicago who pulled first-round upsets against top seeds Virginia and Miami (Fla.).

Since it opened its doors in 1980, the Alamodome has undergone many changes. Carnes indicated that the city plans to do even more before hosting the 2025 tournament by expanding on its 66 permanent suites, creating more luxury suites and widening the concourses within the building.

Carnes believes these improvements will make the Alamodome an even better venue for NCAA tournaments in 2026, adding that she is "cautiously optimistic" that San Antonio will again host the Final Four.

In addition to the NCAA Tournament, San Antonio will also host an exclusive event at the Alamodome called "Next Generation Sunday," in partnership with NBA Academies and USA Basketball. This gives high school-age prospects the opportunity to travel to San Antonio and experience college sports and competition in a unique way, as well as connect with current student-athletes from around the country and world.

Phoenix

The NCAA has long refused to host Final Fours in cities associated with gambling, but their decision on Monday to grant Las Vegas a place in 2028 marks an important shift. Already hosting nine other championships over the next few years, this new NCAA tournament will bring even more fans to this popular destination where they've long loved betting on college basketball matches.

The Final Four is an iconic event that draws thousands of spectators to each city it visits, often having a long and storied history in each host city. Not only is it major economic booster for host cities, but it has become a source of pride within their region as well.

At the conclusion of the NCAA's most recent bid process, six other finalists vied to host the 2023-2026 Final Four. Phoenix was selected after a competitive bid process involving both Arizona's state government and Phoenix Local Organizing Committee (PLOC).

For the men, their city's selection comes a year after NRG Stadium in Houston was named the tournament's national champion. This stadium has become an iconic fixture for sports in the area and has hosted seven Super Bowls - most recently, in 2007.

On Location has the NCAA's first championship game in two decades when the national semifinals kick off Saturday and April 6, with the final set for April 8. If you're planning on attending this incredible event, On Location offers great tickets, hospitality services and travel packages designed to make your experience as stress-free as possible.

On Location is the official ticket & hospitality provider for the NCAA and has a wide range of services to meet every need. Choose from hotel accommodations in Houston, pregame events and 2023 Final Four tickets; you can even extend your trip by booking off-day activities and other special events.

On April 8, the two final teams will square off in the national championship at State Farm Stadium in Glendale - which served as host of the regional finals in 2017. With its longstanding tradition of March Madness hosting, this will mark a momentous milestone for the Valley, which recently hosted the 2017 NCAA tournament at University of Phoenix Stadium.