• Loading stock data...
Sunday, July 13, 2025

NCAA Men’s Final Four Heads To Las Vegas for The 1st Time

  • The NCAA announced that it will host its first men’s Final Four in Las Vegas in 2028.
  • It could have been influenced by two factors: recent sporting events in Las Vegas and general attitudes toward gambling.
NCAA March Madness college basketball
Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

The NCAA announced that for the first time it will host the men’s Final Four in Las Vegas in 2028 — signifying an end to its decades-old aversion to staging events in the nation’s gambling capital.

Three other Final Four host cities were part of that announcement: Detroit (Ford Field, 2027), Indianapolis (Lucas Oil, 2029), and Dallas (AT&T Stadium, 2030).

The NCAA previously agreed to host a men’s regional in Las Vegas in 2023, and has given the city the green light for nine other championships. But it’s never given the city access to the most popular and high-profile NCAA-sponsored championship until now.

Two major factors likely contributed to the timing: recent sporting events in Las Vegas and general attitudes toward gambling. 

Vegas has garnered increasing interest from multiple sports, from Formula 1 to the NFL, and proven its more than capable of putting on successful major sporting events. In 2020, the city opened a new football stadium for the Las Vegas Raiders — significant for the men’s tournament given that the Final Four is usually staged in a football stadium, rather than a basketball arena. 

  • For the second year in a row, the stadium will host the Pac-12 football championship.
  • In 2025, Allegiant will also host the College Football Playoff National Championship — though that championship isn’t run by the NCAA. 

Las Vegas Is a Conference Tournament Mecca

Las Vegas will host 10 conference tournaments for D-I men’s and women’s…
March 3, 2021

Sin City has also hosted several successful college basketball events. In a statement, the NCAA suggested Las Vegas has gotten rave reviews from multiple Division I conferences. In 2021 alone, the city hosted 10 men’s or women’s D-I basketball championships, from the Pac-12 to the Big West.

“The feedback from leagues, the fans of their teams and the media covering the events staged there has been overwhelmingly positive, and we are confident we’ll get the same reviews when the Men’s Final Four is played at Allegiant Stadium,” Chris Reynolds, athletic director at Bradley and the chair of the D-I men’s basketball committee, said in a statement.

The decision also comes at a time when NCAA schools are more willing than ever to embrace gambling companies in general, and sports betting in particular — from athletic department sponsorships to NIL deals. 

While the gambling industry was previously taboo in college sports, schools and athletes have begun tapping into the industry as laws have passed in multiple states legalizing sports betting.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

NCAA: March Madness Expansion to 76 Teams ‘Still Viable’ for 2026

Negotiations continue with media rights holder CBS and TNT Sports.
Rimouski, QC - JUNE 1: Final Game of the 2025 Memorial Cup between the Medicine Hats Tigers and the London Knights on June 1, 2025, at the Colisée Financière Sun Life in Rimouski, Qc.

CHL Is Facing a ‘Pandora’s Box’ of Questions Amid NCAA Talent Departure

As players defect to college, the Canadian Hockey League won’t cede ground.

Deion Sanders Rips ‘Bulljunk’ in CFB, Calls for NFL-Style Salary Cap

Coach Prime is frustrated with the new revenue-sharing era.
Jul 9, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; Head coaches Willie Fritz of Houston, Mike Gundy of Oklahoma State, Rich Rodriguez of West Virginia, Lance Leipold of Kansas, Sonny Dykes of TCU, Kyle Whittingham of Utah, Brent Brennan of Arizona and Deion Sanders of Colorado all sit on stage for a Coaches Roundtable during 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star.

Big 12 Commish: Conference Is ‘All In’ on International Expansion

The conference had once planned a large initiative in Mexico.

Featured Today

May 31, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Sydney McLaughin-Levrone (USA) reacts before the women's 100m hurdles during the Grand Slam Track Philadelphia at Franklin Field
exclusive

Track’s New Money Is Running Into Old Problems

The sport’s big-money era has hit some speed bumps in 2025.
Bobbleheads are seen at Vintage Indy Sports, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. The local sports memorabilia store opened recently.
July 12, 2025

Baseball’s Bobbleheads Are the Center of the Collectibles Universe

Baseball’s most important keepsake drives long lines—and big business.
Jun 28, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) bats during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Seattle Mariners at Globe Life Field.
July 9, 2025

The Torpedo Bat Business Is Still Going Strong: ‘Here to Stay’

Demand for the oddly shaped bats has stayed strong across the sport.
July 6, 2025

American Celebs Want to Be Sports Owners. Soccer Is Where They Start

As U.S. team prices climb, investors set their sights abroad.
The Florida State Seminoles hosted the Florida Gators at Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.

Athletic Departments Express Renewed Interest in PE in Wake of House Settlement

Schools now have more expenses—and are looking for creative solutions.
Sebastian Rivera (R) tf. Danny Coles 6:47 (20-3). Rutgers University Wrestling vs Princeton in Piscataway, NJ on February 18, 2022.
July 9, 2025

The House Settlement Is Being Appealed. It Won’t Stop Revenue-Sharing—for Now

The settlement’s approval on June 6 triggered an appeals process.
Apr 4, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; Connecticut Huskies guard KK Arnold (2)1 dribbles against UCLA Bruins forward Angela Dugalic (32) during the third quarter in a semifinal of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament at Amalie Arena.
July 10, 2025

‘Kind of a Joke’: Frustrations Mount As New NIL Deal Approval Process..

Delays have already led to athletes losing NIL opportunities.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Dealmaker Jeffrey Kaplan maps the evolution of sports as an asset class
July 9, 2025

Big Ten, Big 12 Commissioners Remain Far Apart on CFP’s Future

A decision on expansion must be made by December.
TSU Hockey at Bridgestone
July 8, 2025

Tennessee State’s HBCU Hockey Ambitions Delayed at Least a Year

The school will not launch the first-of-its-kind program as intended.
Louis, Missouri, UNITED STATES; Penn State Nittany Lions forward Nicholas DeGraves (17) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the Boston University Terriers during the third period of the Frozen Four college ice hockey national semifinals at Enterprise Center
July 7, 2025

Gavin McKenna’s Penn State Commitment Cements College Hockey Supremacy

Gavin McKenna’s Penn State decision signals hockey’s rising stars now prefer college.
A helmt is seen during the Texas Tech football team's spring game, Saturday, April 19, 2025, at Jones AT&T Stadium.
July 7, 2025

CFB’s Revenue-Sharing Era Muddles Future of NIL, Adds PE Questions

Athletic departments can pay college athletes a combined $20.5 million this year.