Philadelphia prepares to host opening rounds of NCAA tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena
· Yahoo Sports
Philadelphia is gearing up for a packed sports weekend as the first two rounds of the NCAA men's basketball tournament tip off in South Philadelphia.
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With a freshly installed court and all games already sold out, the city is preparing for a surge of fans and national attention.
More than 60,000 fans are expected to pass through the Xfinity Mobile Arena on Friday and Saturday, including an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 visiting fans
representing the eight college teams competing.
The games being played on Friday in Philadelphia include the following:
- No. 3 Virginia vs. No. 14 Wright State on Friday, March 20, at 1:50 p.m.
- No. 6 Tennessee vs. the winner of No. 11 Miami (Ohio) and No. 11 SMU on Friday, March 20, at 4:25 p.m.
- No. 7 UCLA vs. No. 10 UCF on Friday, March 20 at 7:25 p.m.
- No. 2 UConn vs. No. 15 Furman on Friday, March 20, at 10 p.m.
This year marks the 29th time Philadelphia has hosted NCAA tournament games, dating back to 1939 when the Palestra held the city's first event.
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Larry Needle, executive director of PHL Sports, said Philadelphia leaned heavily on its experience with major events when pitching to host again.
"This is the first of just an incredible slate of events for Philadelphia this year, and I'd venture to say that maybe no other city has hosted a four-month stretch like this one," Needle said. "When you look at March Madness, PGA championships, World Cup, and the MLB All-Star Game, it's something we should all be incredibly proud of."
This tournament weekend serves as the unofficial tipoff to a major run of high-profile sporting events headed to the city over the next four months, positioning Philadelphia as a central hub for both national and international competition.