The Atlantic 10 Conference announced Thursday that the 2021 Men’s Basketball Championship will be relocated from Barclays Center to the campus of an A-10 member institution. The decision to relocate the March championship is due to the current COVID-19 pandemic environment, and was made in agreement with BSE Global CEO John Abbamondi and Barclays Center. The championship is scheduled to return to the Brooklyn venue in 2023 and 2024.
Barclays Center has served as the conference championship home for six years (2013-2016, 2019-2020) and is scheduled to host the 2023 and 2024 championships. Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., was previously announced as the host of the 2022 championship.
“The A-10 has a great relationship and partnership with Barclays Center and BSE Global, thus deciding on this relocation was bittersweet as we have had exciting games and our student-athletes have had first-class experiences,” stated Atlantic 10 Commissioner Bernadette V. McGlade. “I am appreciative of the support and leadership from Barclays Center, and look forward to returning in 2023 and 2024. The challenges presented by COVID-19 and the ability to host this event on campus provides the league with operational efficiencies, established local health departments relationships, and a familiarity of conference COVID-19 protocols.”
“Although we were excited to once again host the Atlantic 10 Men’s Basketball Championship, we completely support the conference’s decision to host the event at a single campus site,” said John Abbamondi, CEO of BSE Global. “We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Atlantic 10 Conference and working together to bring the best of college basketball to Brooklyn when the championship returns to Barclays Center in 2023.”
The exact location of the championship, which will be played March 10-14, is under review and will be announced in the near future. It will mark the first time since 2004 that the full championship has been contested on campus, when Dayton served as host at UD Arena. Additionally, from 2010-2012, the first round of the championship was held in the home arenas of the higher seeds.
“We are fortunate to have first class arenas throughout the A-10, with strong administrative and operational staff on campus, giving the league numerous options for a member institution to host.” added McGlade.
Barclays Center and the Atlantic 10 were also slated to host the 2021 Men’s Basketball NCAA East Regional, but the NCAA announced in November 2020 that the 2021 Men’s Basketball Tournament will be conducted in Indianapolis. The 2024 NCAA First and Second Rounds will be played at Barclays Center with the A-10 serving as host.
The 2021 A-10 Women’s Basketball Championship is on schedule to be contested at VCU’s Siegel Center, March 3-7, in Richmond, Va. A revised format designed to reduce team travel was previously approved by the Athletic Directors, allowing all teams to travel to one site for the Championship.
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