Big Ten announces move of conference tournament to Indianapolis
The Big Ten Tournament will be held in Indianapolis next month.
The conference announced Tuesday what had been rumored for some time: Due to COVID-19 concerns, it was moving the tournament from Chicago to Indianapolis. It will be held March 10-14 with all the games being played at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Here is the full statement from the Big Ten:
The decision to relocate the tournament to Indianapolis was based on multiple factors. First and foremost was the health and safety of student-athletes, coaches, officials and conference constituents. Hosting both the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments in the same city allows for cohesive testing and medical protocols for both events, as well as centralized accommodations surrounding the competition venues.
The Big Ten Conference is grateful to Mayor Lori Lightfoot, the city of Chicago and our partners at the United Center and the Chicago Sports Commission for their flexibility and to Indiana Sports Corp, Lucas Oil Stadium and the city of Indianapolis for being able to assist our basketball teams during these unprecedented times.
The United Center and the city of Chicago have played a vital role in the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament over the past two decades and the conference looks forward to the tournament returning to the United Center in 2023.
The city of Indianapolis and the surrounding areas will play host to the entire NCAA Tournament starting the week after the Big Ten Tournament.
