Elite College Men’s Basketball returns again to the Emerald City
Tournament dates and on sales to be announced later by NCAA®, fans encouraged to sign up for more information at climatepledgearena.com
SEATTLE – Oct. 2 — Today, Climate Pledge Arena, along with the Seattle Sports Commission, Visit Seattle, and the University of Washington, announced Seattle will host the 2028 Division I Men’s Basketball 1st & 2nd Rounds.
The first NCAA® Championship event hosted in the new arena was the 2023 Division I Women’s Basketball Super Regional, heralded as one of the most successful women’s basketball events in the championship cycle. The 2025 Division 1 Men’s Basketball 1st & 2nd Rounds are slated to play Climate Pledge Arena this coming March 21 and 23, with tickets going on sale to the general public on October 14 at ncaa.com/tickets.
This is the second NCAA® bid cycle in a row where Seattle and Climate Pledge Arena have been awarded these coveted championship events.
The local organizing committee (LOC) for bidding, organizing, and planning these events is done in partnership with Climate Pledge Arena, the Seattle Sports Commission, Visit Seattle, and the University of Washington.
“We are ecstatic to be awarded another NCAA® championship event in 2028. We think we are the premier sports venue in Seattle and have a proven track record of hosting world-class events our past three years of being open,” said Steve Mattson, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Climate Pledge Arena. “Our Seattle Center location is ideal for all sports fans from around the country to come to support their teams and take in all Seattle has to offer. Together with our incredible partners organizing these event bids, we know Seattle can expect to participate in elite championships for years to come.
“It is an absolute privilege to again be selected as a host city by the NCAA®,” said Seattle Sports Commission President & CEO Beth Knox. “This is further validation of our region as a world-class sports market, showcasing state-of-the art venues like Climate Pledge Arena and the hosting abilities of our University partners. We look forward to welcoming thousands of student-athletes, their friends, and families to the Pacific Northwest, including our brand-new waterfront, and to the opportunity to provide them an extraordinary, unforgettable experience.”
“We are thrilled to have this fitting opportunity to showcase Seattle as a premier sports destination,” said Tammy Canavan, President & CEO of Visit Seattle. “This has been a tremendous decade for the Emerald City as a host of marquee sporting events and we’re only just getting started. We take pride in our collaboration with our bidding partners as well as community, government, and hospitality leaders, to ensure sports organizations and their fans know Seattle is a welcoming and inclusive destination. We look forward to hosting the Division I Men’s Basketball tournament in Seattle and delivering an unforgettable experience for these scholar-athletes.”
UW Athletics Director Pat Chun noted, “We are pleased to partner with Climate Pledge Arena and the Seattle Sports Commission to host the First & Second Rounds of the 2028 NCAA® Men’s Basketball Tournament and to also partner with Seattle Golf Club in hosting the 2028 Women’s Golf Regional. Seattle is an incredible city, and we will be a great partner for the NCAA in showcasing these great events.”
Ticket information for all events will be announced at a later date by the NCAA®.
Climate Pledge Arena’s location at the base of the Space Needle and on the Seattle Center campus puts student-athletes and fans in the center of Seattle. Free public transit for all ticket purchasers provides easy and sustainable access to the arena via The Seattle Center Monorail to the downtown transit hub. Convenient links between the arena and downtown shopping, hotels and Pike Place Market make it a perfect location for out-of-town visitors.
The 18,100-seat multi-purpose venue located at Seattle Center has hosted over 250 public and private events each year. Climate Pledge Arena is operated by Oak View Group and is home the NHL Seattle Kraken and the four-time WNBA world champion Seattle Storm.
About Climate Pledge Arena
Climate Pledge Arena, located at Seattle Center, is the complete redevelopment of an historic landmark, originally built for the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair. The arena is home to the NHL’s Seattle Kraken, WNBA’s Seattle Storm, and the world’s biggest performers of live music and events. The arena is named after The Climate Pledge, an initiative founded by Amazon and Global Optimism asking global corporations to become net zero carbon by 2040. Climate Pledge Arena has one of the most progressive sustainability programs of any building its size, including being the world’s first Zero Carbon Certified arena. Climate Pledge Arena opened October 19, 2021. Visit climatepledgearena.com
About Oak View Group
Oak View Group (OVG) is the global leader in live experience venue development, management, premium hospitality services, and 360-degree solutions for a collection of world-class owned venues and a client roster ofarenas, stadiums, convention centers, music festivals, performing arts centers, and cultural institutions.Founded by Tim Leiweke and Irving Azoff in 2015, OVG is the leading developerof major new venues either open or under development across four continents. Visit OakViewGroup.com, and follow OVG on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.
About University of Washington Athletics
The University of Washington sponsors teams in 22 varsity athletic programs and is a member of the Big Ten Conference. The UW and its 600 student-athletes are committed to victory in the classroom, in the field of competition and in the community. For more information on Husky Athletics, visit gohuskies.com.
About The Seattle Sports Commission
The Seattle Sports Commission (SSC)is committed to making the Greater Seattle Region a world-class sports market. By fostering a strong sports culture that hosts youth, amateur and professional events, the SSC seeks to create positivesocial and economic impact within our community. Go to seattlesports.org to learn more.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Climate Pledge Arena
Rosie Selle | rselle@climatepledgearena.com
