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INDIANAPOLIS (January 25, 2019) – The Horizon League Council selected Indianapolis to host the 2020-22 Horizon League Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships, announced the League office on Friday. Indianapolis will play host to the semifinals and championships games. The dates and bracket for the entire 2020 Horizon League Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championship will be released at a later date.
The announcement wrapped up a six-month process that included site visits to each of the finalist cities and in-person presentations.
“This is an exciting time for the Horizon League as we have the opportunity to bring our championships to a new community that align with our mission, vision and core values,” said Horizon League Commissioner Jon LeCrone. “Indianapolis is a destination city located in the middle of our footprint and has a proven track record of success. We look forward to working with Indianapolis to produce a first-class and memorable experience for our student-athletes, coaches and fans.”
Indianapolis, the largest city in Indiana, is the home of the Horizon League and NCAA offices and has been a hub for some of the largest sporting events in the nation. It will host its eighth NCAA men’s Final Four in 2021 and has already been selected to stage its ninth in 2026, while also holding three NCAA women’s Final Fours with the most recent being in 2016.
“The cities that presented to our committee were very impressive and brought a lot of energy to the process” said Horizon League Council Ad-Hoc Committee Chair and UIC Director of Athletics Garrett Klassy. “Indianapolis stood out because of their vision and commitment to our student-athletes, coaches and fans. Indianapolis is an easily accessible, destination city that will offer a Horizon League championship atmosphere.”
The Indiana Farmers Coliseum, located at the Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center, is a 6,800-seat arena that hosts over 150 events and 250,000 guests annually. The average drive for Horizon League fans is 3 hours, 45 minutes while eight of ten schools are within five hours of Indianapolis. Among the planned tournament enhancements, student-athletes will be welcomed with signage around the city, hotels and arena along with a pep rally at Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis. On game day, student-athletes will receive a police escort to the arena and will play in a one-of-a-kind tournament atmosphere that includes a neutral tournament branded court. Additionally fans will have the opportunity to stay downtown at a special, discounted rate at participating hotels and will have the opportunity to visit school-designated restaurants.
“The city of Indianapolis and Indiana Farmers Coliseum have a proud tradition of hosting NCAA and various basketball events and the Horizon League Basketball Championship will bring tremendous excitement to our community,” said Cindy Hoye, Executive Director at the Indiana State Fair Commission.
The 2019 Horizon League Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments will begin March 5-6 with quarterfinal games on campus and will culminate with the semifinal and championship games on March 11-12 at Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena. Tickets for the semifinals and championship at Little Caesars Arena will go on sale on February 1 at 10 a.m. ET/9 a.m. CT.
“We have enjoyed a great partnership with Olympia Entertainment and 313 Presents and look forward to an incredible event in a world class arena in March,” said LeCrone.
FUTURE HORIZON LEAGUE BASKETBALL SEMIFINAL & CHAMPIONSHIP DATES
- March 11-12, 2019: Little Caesars Arena- Detroit
- March 9-10, 2020: Indiana Farmers Coliseum – Indianapolis
- March 8-9, 2021: Indiana Farmers Coliseum – Indianapolis
- March 7-8 2022: Indiana Farmers Coliseum – Indianapolis
ABOUT THE HORIZON LEAGUE:The Horizon League is an NCAA Division I athletics conference comprised of 10 member institutions located throughout the Midwest’s major metropolitan cities. Headquartered in Indianapolis, the League and its members strive to be highly competitive athletically while committing to the total development of its student-athletes and creating a lasting impact on campus and in the community. For more information, visit HorizonLeague.com.
ABOUT INDIANA STATE FAIRGROUNDS & EVENT CENTER:The Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center is a modern public event facility that annually hosts more than 400 meetings, shows, sports and agricultural events, including the Indiana State Fair. The year-round management of the Fairgrounds is overseen by the Indiana State Fair Commission which is a quasi-governmental agency that was established in 1992, with the mission to preserve and enhance the Indiana State Fairgrounds and the annual Indiana State Fair for the benefit of all citizens of Indiana. Additional information is available at www.indianastatefair.com.
