PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four will be held in Portland in 2030, the NCAA announced Monday.
The University of Portland will host the event, along with the Portland Trail Blazers/Rose Quarter, Sport Oregon, and Travel Portland.
The bidding group spent most of 2022 making their pitch to the NCAA. Representatives from the NCAA and Women’s Basketball Committee visited Portland in September for the official site tour. During the visit, they analyzed the venues and met stakeholders.
Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan and Rep. Janelle Bynum were part of the group who pitched bringing the Final Four to Portland.
“Elite women’s basketball and Oregon, I cannot think of a better pair!” Fagan said. “We have a history of supporting women and women’s sports, which makes us the perfect destination for the NCAA.”
She said she will continue to promote the state as a destination for athletic excellence of all types, and especially for women.
Bynum said this is a big win for Oregon.
“By hosting the NCAA tournament and building the infrastructure to attract other major sports events, we can come together and uplift our communities, create jobs, and strengthen Oregon’s economy for years to come,” she said.
The bidding group gave a final presentation to the NCAA on Nov. 16 in Dallas.
“Here in Portland, we are passionate about women’s sports and we can’t wait to showcase and celebrate the finest women’s basketball programs in the country,” said University of Portland President Dr. Robert D. Kelly.
Portland hosted the NCAA Women’s Basketball Regionals in 2019 and was set to host them again in 2020 before the NCAA Tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This is a great day for women’s basketball in the state of Oregon and the city of Portland,” University of Portland women’s basketball head coach Michael Meek said. “Our state basketball community will provide tremendous support for this event and leave a legacy that will impact girls’ and women’s basketball players in Oregon for years to come.”
Chris Oxley, senior vice president of government affairs and strategic initiatives for the Portland Trail Blazers said the success of the Women’s Basketball Regionals in 2019 is proof Portland is prepared to host more college basketball events.
During the Final Four tournament weekend, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association convention will also be in Portland. Between the convention and the tournament, the University of Portland anticipates 11,000 hotel rooms will be used between downtown and the Lloyd District.
“There is not another city in the country that will embrace this event and what it stands for more than Portland,” said Jeff Miller, president and CEO of Travel Portland.
The Oregon Convention Center will host the WBCA Coaches Convention, along with a free public fan festival for basketball fans called Tourney Town. The city will host several other events during the Final Four weekend.
This is the first time Portland has been selected to host the women’s Final Four and the first time it will be held in Oregon. The games will take place April 5 and 7, 2030.
Portland was among seven finalist cities for the five open years of hosting. The other winning host cities were Columbus, Ohio for 2027, Indianapolis, Ind. for 2028, San Antonio, Texas for 2029 and Dallas, Texas for 2031.