NCAA Tourney Games Are Leaving State of North Carolina...

[stever20]

more:
South Carolina confirms to ESPN that the Gamecocks will also put in a bid to host the 2017 NCAA men's tournament first and second round.
Providence College confirms it has also bid on the 2017 NCAA men's basketball tournament first and second rounds now that it's available. PC hosted at the Dunkin Donuts Center last March.

[David G]

Columbia SC or Charleston I bet would both be interested...although the College of Charleston arena only holds 5100 (I was expecting more), vs 18,000 at USC.

I usually go watch with friends back in PA, so I likely wouldn't be attending anyway. It would be fun, though, to see some first round games in person.

The on campus arena at College of Charleston is 5100. The North Charleston Coliseum seats about 14,000 and although it is rarely used for basketball it has hosted basketball games before. So, Charleston would be an option if a school or a conference put in a bid to host it there. There are three div1 schools in the city.

[stever20]

someone on the other board brought up an excellent point about where it's going to be going-
Choosing Greenville or Columbia would accomplish two purposes: 1) keep it near the original location and 2) show that when a state "complies" with the "will" of the NCAA, it will be rewarded.

If you remember correctly, South Carolina was persona non grata for NCAA sports for 15 years due to the confederate flag being flown on Capital Grounds..... It got removed last July after the Charleston shootings.

[FenwayFriar]

https://twitter.com/mattnorlander/status/778713442723127301

University of South Carolina has announced it will not submit a bid to host as Greensboro's replacement for the 2017 NCAA Tournament.

[Fieldhouse Flyer]

There are a lot of viable candidates for sure, but I suspect the NCAA will end up placing it a different ACC locale. One idea would be the place it in Dayton after the First Four.

Great idea, but Dayton is too far from the East Coast to merit consideration.

I still think the games will go to an East Coast city, but Dayton threw their hat into the ring.

UD Officially Bids for 2017 NCAA Games - WHIO TV, Dayton - Tuesday, September 27, 2016

UD Officially Bids for 2017 NCAA Games - Dayton Daily News - Tuesday, September 27, 2016

[Fieldhouse Flyer]

Providence, Furman, and Greenville, and have also submitted bids.

Dunkin' Donuts Center bids for 2017 NCAA basketball tournament – September 13, 2016

Management of the Dunkin' Donuts Center said Tuesday that it will bid to host the first and second rounds of the 2017 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. Some Providence Bruins home games would have to be rescheduled if the Dunk lands the basketball tournament.

The Dunkin' Donuts Center is also scheduled to host the NCAA hockey tournament in March. The Dunk previously hosted the first and second rounds of the 2016 men's basketball tournament.

Providence College confirms it has also bid on the 2017 NCAA men's basketball tournament – Andy Katz, ESPN –September 20, 2016


Furman bids to host 2017 NCAA championship events, ESPN reports – Channel 7 News, Spartanburg SC - September 20, 2016

The Furman University Athletic Director Mike Buddie tells ESPN that the school and Southern Conference are bidding to host the 2017 NCAA men’s first and second round in Greenville.

Greenville will bid to host 2017 NCAA men’s hoops – Greenville News - September 20, 2016

The bid must be submitted by Sept. 27. The NCAA has informed bidding groups that its decision will be revealed on Oct. 7.

Greenville last hosted the NCAA men’s tournament in 2002. For the next 14 years, the NCAA and the Atlantic Coast Conference boycotted South Carolina in protest of the Confederate flag flying at the Statehouse. The flag was lowered last year, and the boycotts were lifted.

In August, the same Greenville organizing group submitted bids for the next full cycle, 2019 to 2022.

“Having just completed the process for future years has made this bid much easier,” Beth Paul, general manager of the Bon Secours Wellness Arena, said. “There was some effort to make sure the dates were cleared. We're in great shape now. The timing is really strong and really favorable for us.”

The NCAA recently streamlined the bidding process. Interested cities submit information— including hotel availability, financial estimates, amenities and accessibility— through an online portal.

“They've encouraged people to stop sending 800-page glossy brochures,” Buddie said with a laugh. “We’ve just tried to convey all the information as succinctly and legitimately as we can.

“Our biggest concern is to make sure, if we're going to bid, that we're in a position to do it and do it extremely well. We want be an annual host and show the NCAA that we know what we're doing.”

Columbia and the Colonial Life Arena are considering the possibility of submitting a bid. Several venues from Providence, Rhode Island to Orlando will also pursue the open slot.

USC, Columbia will not bid to host 2017 men’s NCAA Tournament games – The Aiken (SC) Standard - September 21, 2016

The University of South Carolina and the Columbia Regional Sports Council passed on the idea of submitting a bid to host the 2017 NCAA Men’s Basketball First and Second Rounds, school officials announced Wednesday.

[Fieldhouse Flyer]

NCAA: March Madness is coming to Greenville The Greenville News - October 7, 2016

The NCAA has announced plans to bring round 1 & 2 games of the Men's Division 1 basketball tournament to Greenville's Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Games will be played on March 17 and 19, 2017.

[stever20]

As I think most folks expected, Greenville got the games. They weren't going to move it totally out of the region.