The partnership between USF and the Tampa Bay Sports Commission has been mutually beneficial, a point that was underscored again on Friday.
The American Athletic Conference announced it will hold the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments at USF’s Yuengling Center in 2026 and 2027. The 2026 tournaments will be held in Birmingham.
“Tampa Bay has a rich tradition for hosting amazing college basketball events, and this announcement, in tandem with our friends at the American Athletic Conference, is an exciting next chapter for us,” said Rob Higgins, executive director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission.
“Coming off the heels of our record-setting fourth NCAA Women’s Final Four in April and in anticipation of hosting the 2026 NCAA Men’s First and Second Rounds next March, our community is ready to roll out the red carpet for the members of the American Athletic Conference for an exciting run of men’s and women’s championship basketball at the Yuengling Center.”
Just about two months ago, the Sports Commission and USF combined to hold the NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four at the Amalie Arena in downtown Tampa.
USF was the official host school for the event, and staff members worked closely with the Sports Commission to ensure things ran smoothly.
The tournaments have been held in Fort Worth, Texas, for the past five years. However, when SMU – located in nearby Dallas – left the conference last season to join the ACC, holding the tournaments in an area where the conference no longer has a footprint made no sense.
"We are thrilled to bring our basketball championships to Birmingham and Tampa," American Athletic Conference Commissioner Tim Pernetti said. "Our top priority when we began this bid process was to deliver the best possible experience for our student-athletes.
“The ability of Birmingham and Tampa to accommodate both championships and the year-round support that we will receive from their respective local committees will help to make these events an unforgettable experience for our players and fans."
Tampa has earned a reputation as a first-class host for events like these. And at some point, we may have to change the name of this place to Title Town.
The Tampa Bay area has hosted four NCAA Women's Final Fours (2008, 2015, 2019, 2025), two NCAA Men's First and Second Rounds (1983, 2003, 2008, 2011), and two NCAA Men's Regional Semifinals and Finals (1998).
Additionally, the city has hosted two NCAA Division I volleyball championships and one for Division II, as well as three Frozen Four hockey championships.
Also, post-season basketball tournaments for both the SEC and ACC were staged in Tampa. The 2017 NCAA national football championship game was held at Raymond James Stadium and will return in 2029.
That doesn’t count the five Super Bowls that have been held here. The effectiveness of the Sports Commission has been and its partnership with USF is a big factor in that success.
Beyond the economic benefits the events will bring to the area, it will be a major plus for USF’s teams to have the home-court advantage.