The NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee announced that the Big 12 Conference and the Dallas Sports Commission have been selected to host the 2023 Women’s Final Four. The American Airlines Center will serve as the competition venue for the games to be played on March 31 and April 2, 2023. This will mark the second time in six years for Dallas to host a Women’s Final Four.
“We look forward to bringing the Women’s Final Four back to Dallas,” said Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby. “The 2017 Women’s Final Four was a great success both on and off the court with compelling games, sellout crowds and community involvement. We appreciate the NCAA Women’s Basketball Committee providing us another opportunity to host this spectacular event.”
The Big 12 and Dallas have joined forces to stage two regionals (2011 and 2016) and a Women’s Final Four during the last six years. In 2017, Dallas hosted the Women’s Final Four for the first time, which saw an attendance of 38,431. The national championship game was a sellout for the first time since 2014, as 19,229 saw South Carolina take home its first national title.
“Thank you to the NCAA and the Women’s Basketball Committee for the opportunity to host the 2023 Women’s Final Four,” said Monica Paul, Executive Director of the Dallas Sports Commission. “In 2017, the energy in the American Airlines Center and in the city of Dallas was unmatched and we were blown away by the experience and the community participation. We want Dallas to be synonymous with women’s basketball and we look forward to making 2023 even bigger and better.”
The American Airlines Center is a multi-purpose arena, located in the Victory Park neighborhood near downtown Dallas. The venue serves as home to the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association, and the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League. The arena is also used for concerts and other live entertainment. It opened in 2001 at a cost of $420 million with a basketball seating capacity of 19,200 and up to 21,146 with standing room.
“We are honored and excited to be selected as the host site for the 2023 NCAA Women’s Final Four”, said Dave Brown, American Airlines Center Chief Operating Officer. “We are fully committed to women’s basketball and are confident we will provide a memorable experience for all the participants and guests.”
The 2013 and 2015 Phillips 66 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Championships were also contested at the AAC. In 2013, the average attendance of 7,037 ranked second in Conference history. Three other women’s championships were held in Dallas at Reunion Arena in 2003, 2004 and 2006.
In conjunction with the Women’s Final Four, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association will hold its annual meeting and trade show in Dallas.
Dallas and the North Texas region have also staged NCAA and Big 12 Men’s Basketball championships, hosting the 2014 Men’s Final Four at AT&T Stadium in Arlington that set an attendance record. The Big 12 and Dallas Sports Commission hosted the 2018 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship First and Second Rounds at the American Airlines Center and hosted the 2013 NCAA Men’s Basketball Regional at AT&T Stadium. Additionally, Dallas will host a NCAA Women’s Basketball Regional in 2020.
The games in Dallas will mark the seventh time that the Women’s Final Four will be played in the state of Texas. In addition to Dallas hosting in 2017, San Antonio hosted in 2002, 2010 and will host in 2021. Austin hosted in 1985 and 1987.
About the Big 12 Conference: The Big 12 Conference is comprised of 10 Universities - Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas, Texas Tech and West Virginia. The Big 12 is an NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletics conference that encompasses five states with over 38 million people within its geographic footprint. In its 23rd year, the Conference has produced over 600 Academic All-America selections and claimed national championship team titles in 17 of its 23 sponsored sports. Its student-athletes and teams have combined for 650 individual NCAA titles and 59 team national championships. Nearly 5,000 student-athletes from across the United States and around the World compete annually under the Big 12 banner. For more information, visit Big12Sports.com and follow the Conference on Facebook (Facebook.com/Big12) and Twitter (@Big12Conference).
About the Dallas Sports Commission: The Dallas Sports Commission pursues amateur, grassroots, collegiate and professional championship events, positioning Dallas as the premier sports destination. A division of VisitDallas, the Dallas Sports Commission focuses on generating economic impact as well as improving the quality of life within the community through sports. For more information visit www.dallassports.org.
About Dallas: The Dallas metro area is the leading business and financial center in the Southwest, offering visitors an unparalleled array of amenities such as more than 87,000 hotel rooms, flexible meeting space, moderate climate, service-oriented staff, and a central location with two major airports with more domestic nonstop flights than any other U.S. city. As the ninth-largest U.S. city, and part of the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the nation, Dallas provides the best shopping in the Southwest and an arts district made up of 20 square blocks of artistic and cultural destinations, with five cultural venues designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architects. The Dallas metropolitan area is the top visitor destination in Texas and the only in the Southwest to host teams representing six major professional sports leagues.
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