The NCAA is bringing the 2028 Men's Final Four to Las Vegas for the first time ever
As you begin the holiday-planning process for the end of 2022, it probably doesn’t hurt to start planning (and putting aside some money) for the distant future, right?
Specifically, you might want to block off your spring calendars over the next handful of years after the NCAA Division 1 Men’s Basketball Committee officially named four more host cities for future NCAA Tournament Final Fours. With Tuesday’s announcement, each Men’s Final Four through 2030 officially has a location attached.
The recently unveiled cities include Detroit in 2027, Las Vegas in 2028, Indianapolis in 2029 and North Texas in 2030.
For obvious gambling reasons, Las Vegas being named a host for 2028 stands out above the rest. Previously, the NCAA had committed to staying away from playing championships at locations where sports betting is legal.
Men’s Final Four cities announced for 2027-30 pic.twitter.com/zzUTAB8mFc
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) November 22, 2022
While Las Vegas will be new to the Final Four, it surely has had its dance with college basketball tournaments.
Per the NCAA’s official release:
Las Vegas is a first-time host site for the Men’s Final Four. In October 2020, the NCAA announced Las Vegas as a first-time March Madness site when it awarded the city the 2023 West Regional. In addition, Las Vegas is currently scheduled to host nine other NCAA championships before 2026, and now the city will host the 2028 Men’s Final Four.
“We are excited to bring the NCAA’s premier championship to Las Vegas, a city that for a number of years has hosted numerous championships from several member conferences,” said Chris Reynolds, athletics director at Bradley and the chair of the committee. “The feedback from leagues, the fans of their teams and the media covering the events staged there has been overwhelmingly positive, and we are confident we’ll get the same reviews when the Men’s Final Four is played at Allegiant Stadium.”
As the sports world continues to lean into sports gambling, it’ll be interesting to see how all parties navigate through the 2028 Final Four.