BlogAfter a long weekend of amazing upsets, buzzer-beating baskets, Cinderella stories, and lots of busted brackets, March Madness is in full swing.
Down from 64 teams, the remaining 16 have a few days to rest, before picking up the ball again this weekend to see who moves on in the single-elimination tournament of dreams. Let’s take a look at where the next rounds of games will be played.
Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
Two of the Sweet Sixteen games and one Elite Eight will be played at one of the most famous venues in the US–Madison Square Garden in downtown New York City. This is actually the fourth building of the same name, and this one was built in 1968. It’s where the New York Knicks and Rangers play.
Pro wrestling, boxing, and other high-profile events take place here on a regular basis. Performances from the likes of Elton John, the Grateful Dead, Madonna, and U2 are common when the arena isn’t hosting the roughly 320 sporting events each year.
Michigan State will play Kansas State, and Tennessee will play Florida Atlantic University on March 23, and the winner of these games will play each other on March 25.
T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV
The T-Mobile Arena was completed in 2016, right on the Las Vegas Strip. Next to several famous hotels and casinos, its location is perfect for hosting big ticket shows and sporting events. The venue can hold around 20,000 spectators, and cost its investors around $350 million to complete.
The T-Mobile Arena is the home for the NHL Las Vegas Knights, several Ultimate Fighting Championship events, and it also hosts other sports events, concerts, beauty pageants year-round. It’s already hosted a Stanley Cup finals series, the Academy of Country Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, and the Miss USA pageant.
This weekend, the University of Connecticut will play Arkansas and UCLA will play Gonzaga on Thursday, and the winner of the two games will play each other on Saturday, March 25.
KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, KY
The KFC Yum! Center in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, is deep in the heart of collegiate basketball. And this year, it will host the Sweet Sixteen games between Alabama and San Diego State, and Creighton and Princeton on Friday, March 24. The winners will play each other on Sunday, March 26.
The Center, which cost around $240 million and was completed in 2010, anchors the dynamic downtown area that also has the Louisville Slugger Museum, the Muhammad Ali Center, gorgeous parks, a lovely waterfront, and lots of great restaurants. It was designed to host University of Louisville sports events, as well as concerts for musicians, including Justin Bieber, Metallica, Kiss, Kenny Chesney, and Carrie Underwood.
T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, MO
Another arena sponsored by T-Mobile, the fourth round of Sweet Sixteen games will be hosted at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. Formerly known as the Sprint Center, the Center has been an anchor downtown for nearly 20 years. The entire building is covered in a glass facade, with metal panels that give it an amazing, high-end feel.
The venue has been a location for NCAA tournaments regularly, and is constantly pursuing a professional hockey or basketball expansion team, to no avail so far. This year, Xavier will play University of Texas, and the University of Houston will play Florida’s University of Miami on Friday, and the winners will match up on Sunday, March 26.
NRG Stadium, Houston, TX
The Final Four and Championship games will be hosted this year at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. Home to the NFL’s Houston Texans, it even hosted the 2017 Super Bowl. Completed in 2002, for about $350 million, the venue can hold up to 80,000 spectators, which is perfect for Texas, where everything is bigger.
When it’s not being used for professional football, it hosts soccer games, rodeos and bull-riding tours, and even some college and high school football games. Next year, it will be the home for the College Football Playoff Championship game!
The two Final Four games will be played on Saturday, April 1. No matter who wins, it will be a night to remember for all four teams. The Championship game will be held on Monday, April 3, when all eyes will be tuned in to see the end of all the March Madness.
It’s fun every year to see these teams work so hard, play with all their hearts, and leave it all out on the court. As we watch the final series of games, we will set aside our busted brackets, ousted home teams, and cheer for all the teams who are still in the game. Let the Madness continue!
Pin