Wichita no longer a host site for 2021 NCAA Tournament

Intrust+Bank+Arena+before+the+game+against+Southern+Miss+on+Dec.+15%2C+2018+at+INTRUST+Bank+Arena.

Joseph Barringhaus

Intrust Bank Arena before the game against Southern Miss on Dec. 15, 2018 at INTRUST Bank Arena.

The NCAA will be consolidating down to one location for the 2021 Men’s Basketball NCAA Championship, they announced Monday. Wichita and 12 other cities were set to be host sites for the tournament.

The NCAA is currently in preliminary talks with the state of Indiana and Indianapolis to host the 68-team tournament in March and April. Indianapolis was already set to host the Final Four from April 3-5 2021.

“We have learned so much from monitoring other successful sporting events in the last several months, and it became clear it’s not feasible to manage this complex championship in so many different states with the challenges presented by the pandemic,” Dan Gavitt, NCAA Senior Vice President of Basketball said. “However, we are developing a solid plan to present a safe, responsible and fantastic March Madness tournament unlike any other we’ve experienced.”

Wichita was expecting to host the first and second games of the tournament at INTRUST Bank Arena and still had plans of hosting those games about a month ago.

“I think the biggest unknown is we don’t know what it’s going to look like,” Senior Associate Athletic Director Brad Pittman said in October. “Predicting what March would be is impossible because we don’t know what tomorrow’s going to be like. From our seat, we’re pushing forward. We’re planning on being here, we’re excited to host them knowing it’s going to be different.

Wichita is set to host the Men’s NCAA Tournament in 2025 and will also be a host for the Women’s NCAA Tournament in 2022.