Evansville, IN – NCAA Elite Eight Tournament returned to Ford Center on Wednesday with a record-breaking crowd day one of the tournament. This is the third time NCAA has made Ford Center their Elite Eight tournament host arena; their first visit was in 2014 and returned in 2015. The NCAA DII tournament has made Evansville it’s host city three times in the last five years, which is not something new to Evansville, from 1957 – 1976 Evansville hosted the DII tournament every year. The total attendance for 2019’s men’s Elite Eight at Ford Center was 18,870, which marks the largest total in the Elite Eight era and the largest single-site total since 1971.
“Breaking two records in the same year shows these prestigious tournaments that Evansville makes the perfect host city for these major tournaments.†stated Ford Center’s Executive Director, Scott Schoenike. Prior to Wednesday night’s West Texas A&M VS University of Southern Indiana quarterfinal game, the attendance record was set in 1994 with a little over 6,000.
Saturday afternoon Northwest Missouri State University became the NCAA DII champion. Ford Center and the NCAA DII Championship was showcased in front of millions on CBS.
Continuing Ford Center’s active spring are Disney on Ice – April 4 – 7, Guns and Hoses – April 13, WWE LIVE – May 5 and Jason Aldean – May 9.
