NCAA Tournament moves to Greenville for 2017

[vicupstate]

 

March Madness is returning to Greenville.

The NCAA announced Friday morning that the first and second rounds of its Division I men’s basketball tournament will be relocated to the Bon Secours Wellness Arena.

Furman University and the Southern Conference will serve as the official hosts of the event, which is scheduled for March 17 and 19.

The NCAA pulled the regional rounds of its premier championship event from Greensboro, North Carolina last month in protest of House Bill 2, the state law that restricts the use of public restrooms and changing rooms based on biological sex.

Bids were opened for relocation sites, and an organizing committee, composed of Furman, the SoCon, The Well and the Greenville visitors bureau, VisitGreenvilleSC, swiftly submitted a bid to end South Carolina’s 15-year hosting hiatus.

Greenville was the last Palmetto State city to host the NCAA Tournament. That was in 2002.

After that season, the NCAA boycotted South Carolina, in response to the Confederate Flag flying at the statehouse. The flag was lowered last year, and the ban was lifted.

Greenville was selected over Louisville, Kentucky, Providence, Rhode Island, Jacksonville, Florida and Dayton, Ohio. Ticket presales for the event are scheduled to launch on Nov. 1 via NCAA.com.

[apaladin]

Most excellent news. Also Garth Brooks and Bon Jovi are on the way in November and February respectively in addition to all the other concerts/events scheduled. After a lackluster year, the BSW arena is doing quite well.

[vicupstate]

Bringing  the Tournament to Greenville