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Indianapolis and Lucas Oil Stadium will be the site for a Regional round of the 2013 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship, the NCAA announced today (Sept. 21). This event joins Indianapolis' upcoming basketball schedule that already included the 2010 and 2015 NCAA Men's Final Fours. For these events, Butler University, the Horizon League and IUPUI will serve as host institutions, while Indiana Sports Corp will manage the Indianapolis Local Organizing Committee (ILOC).
The Regional will be played March 29 and 31, 2013. Today's announcement brings the number of NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship events played in Indianapolis between 1978 and 2015 to 20. Additionally, Indianapolis will be the site of the 2011 and 2016 NCAA Women's Final Fours. Indianapolis hosted the 2005 NCAA Women's Final Four as well.
"The NCAA continues to be a great partner to Indianapolis and we greatly appreciate the opportunity to host these events in our city," said Susan Williams, Indiana Sports Corp president and ILOC chair. "Not only do events such as this bring a tremendous number of visitors to our city, but they also provide national media exposure for Indianapolis and countless opportunities for the youth, volunteers and fans of our region."
Lucas Oil Stadium is the site for NCAA Men's Basketball events held in Indianapolis. The venue's first NCAA Tournament event was the 2009 NCAA Midwest Regional in March. Previously, the RCA Dome (formerly named the Hoosier Dome) was the site of NCAA events between 1987 and 2006. Market Square Arena hosted NCAA events between 1978 and 1982. In 1940, the NCAA staged the Eastern Regional of its NCAA Men's Basketball Championship in Indianapolis for the first time. The site was Butler Fieldhouse (now Hinkle Fieldhouse).
Today's announcement continues two important initiatives among the NCAA, Indianapolis, and Indiana Sports Corp. In 2004, the parties entered into a memorandum of understanding that stated Indianapolis would host NCAA basketball events and the NCAA Convention on a regular basis through the term of the NCAA Headquarters lease in Indianapolis (currently through at least 2039). In 2008, Indianapolis was also named an NCAA Championship City. The Championship City pilot program features multiple host opportunities of NCAA Division I, II and III men's and women's championships through 2012. The centerpiece of the Championship City pilot program is a long-term agreement between the NCAA and each host city to bring a wide array of championships and ancillary events to the six selected geographical areas over the course of several years.