INDIANAPOLIS --- The NCAA has selected six cities—Cary, N.C., Cleveland, Indianapolis, St. Louis, San Diego and San Antonio—to serve as inaugural members in its new “NCAA Championship City” pilot program.

The Championship City pilot program will feature multiple host opportunities of NCAA Division I, II and III men’s and women’s championships through 2012.   The centerpiece of the Championship City pilot program is a long-term agreement between the NCAA and each host city to bring a wide array of championships and ancillary events to the six geographical areas over the course of several years. 

“The Championship City model is a multiple-event concept that will create greater community support of the events through increased attendance and an enhanced atmosphere for the student-athletes and fans, as well as operational and economic efficiencies both for the cities and the NCAA,” said NCAA President Myles Brand. “This bundling of events allows the NCAA and the cities to provide benefits collectively that individual championships would be unable to provide on their own.”

Each of the six cities selected to take part in the pilot program has hosted an NCAA championship in previous years, including various levels of the Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments.  While most cities selected to host an NCAA championship focus on a specific division or sport, the Championship City pilot will provide the six cities with the privilege to host specific NCAA championships in Division I, II and III; a wider range of sports to host, which opens the city to a broader and diverse range of fans; rights to use enhanced NCAA trademarks; and NCAA marketing initiatives that identify it as a city selected specifically by the NCAA for the Championship City pilot program.

Through the program, the cities will work more closely with NCAA administrators to provide an enhanced championship experience for NCAA student-athletes and fans.   Enhancements may include hosting social networking activities where student-athletes can communicate via the Internet about their academic and/or athletic experiences; creating a student-athlete lounge; hosting musical concerts and sports forums; hosting fan festivals that provide additional opportunities for visitors and community residents to celebrate the student-athlete and championship; and providing additional opportunities for student-athletes to interact with each other at host city attractions and venues.   

The NCAA Championship City pilot program has four primary objectives:

•         enhance the overall experience for student-athletes who earn the opportunity to compete in NCAA championships

•         increase promotion and visibility of the NCAA championship locally and nationally

•         engage and support the communities selected to host NCAA Championships

•         create fiscal and administrative efficiencies for cities that host championships

The Championship City pilot program will provide the six cities with increased leverage in long-term planning, in terms of general scheduling and developing ancillary and entertainment events.  It also will allow city officials more time to establish additional resources to support the events and generate community involvement, which could have a positive economic impact on the host city.  The cities will also have access to a wide range of NCAA championships, which includes a diverse audience of student-athletes and fan base. 

The Championship City model emerged from a review of NCAA championship administrators seeking to enhance the student-athlete experience while reducing expenses.  The multiple host model should reduce travel and costs in signage and lodging, which results in better fiscal and administrative efficiencies for the city and the NCAA national office.  

“The championships staff at the national office is charged with efficient use of resources, effective operating and administrative procedures, supporting and enhancing the student-athlete experience, and meeting membership expectations, said Joni Comstock, NCAA senior vice president for championships. “Championship Cities is among the strategies that allow us to most effectively accomplish those four goals. We already have examples in men’s lacrosse, the Division II Championships Festivals and other sport-by-sport combinations (track and field, soccer and swimming) to show that concurrent championships lead to more efficiencies. The Championship City pilot program is another step in that direction.”

Once the Championship City model was created, the NCAA approached about three dozen cities, with 21 submitting proposals to join the pilot program.  The field was narrowed to six cities, all of which had extensive experience in hosting NCAA championships in past years. 

In reviewing the proposals from the cities, the NCAA looked at applications that focused on enhancing the championship experience for student-athletes, to include hospitality and pre- and post-championship activities. The group also considered proposals that would increase attendance, develop better community and regional awareness and highlight student-athlete achievements through extended media efforts.   Community involvement that supported NCAA educational messaging and explained the academic and athletic accomplishments of student-athletes was considered, along with corporate community involvement and grassroots development in selection of the Championship Cities.