5K event one of many community-based initiatives offered by the NCAA and Detroit Local Organizing Committee for local residents
DETROIT —Local and visiting NCAA basketball fans can actively partake in the excitement of NCAA® Men’s Final Four® weekend by participating in the annual Road to the Final Four 5K Run /Walk on Saturday, April 4 at 8:30 a.m.
The route begins at the corner of Washington and Jefferson in downtown Detroit, outside Cobo Center. The course incorporates Detroit’s international riverfront by utilizing the RiverWalk, where the finish line is located.
The registration fee is $20 if postmarked by March 28. After that date, the fee is increased to $25. The fee includes a long-sleeved Nike T-shirt for the first 1,000 runners, free admission to Hoop City® refreshed by Coca-Cola®, which takes place at Cobo Center April 3-6, and a chance to win 2009 NCAA Men's Final Four tickets for all participants.
Proceeds will benefit the Men’s Final Four’s first ever Legacy Program, the United Way for Southeastern Michigan’s Early Learning Communities, which enhances school readiness for pre-school age children by providing training and resources for children and their caregivers. Race participants are encouraged to bring a new or gently used pre- or early reader book to race registration.
Participants can register ahead of time online at www.ncaa.com/finalfour. On-site registration begins at 7 a.m. in Michigan Hall at Cobo Center.
The Road to the Final Four 5K Run/Walk is one of the many official events organized by the NCAA for visitors and local residents during the Final Four Weekend. The Parade Company of Detroit is the producer of the 2009 Road to the Final Four 5K Run/Walk.
Many other exciting events – many of them free - will take place throughout the weekend. Details can be found at www.NCAA.com/finalfour.
About the 2009 NCAA® Men’s Basketball Championship
The 2009 NCAA® Men’s Final Four® will take place at Ford Field in Detroit April 4 & 6. The Final Four brings together the semifinalists of the single elimination tournament of the top 65 NCAA Division I men’s basketball teams in the country. The event is expected to create an economic impact of $30 million to $50 million and attract more than 30,000 visitors to Detroit. For information, visit www.NCAA.com/finalfour or call the Detroit Local Organizing Committee at 313-262-2900.
About the Detroit Local Organizing Committee
The Detroit Local Organizing Committee for the 2009 NCAA® Men’s Final Four® is responsible for organizing and staging all local aspects of the Final Four® in Detroit. Its mission is to: create an environment that will help define for every student-athlete, the ultimate basketball championship experience; similarly, for visitors and local fans alike, leave an indelible memory of the tournament, the City of Detroit, and it’s proud and wonderful community; to build an economic model that will stand as the benchmark for future Final Four® championships and one so successful that we will be able to host future NCAA events for many years to come. It is chaired by University of Detroit Mercy’s Director of Athletics, Keri Gaither.
About the NCAA
The NCAA is a membership-led nonprofit association of colleges and universities committed to supporting academic and athletics opportunities for more than 400,000 student-athletes at more than 1,000 member colleges and universities. Each year, more than 54,000 student-athletes compete in NCAA Championships in Division I, II and III sports. Visit www.NCAA.org and www.NCAA.com for more details about the Association, its goals and members and corporate partnerships that help support programs for student-athletes. The NCAA is proud to have the following elite companies as official Corporate Champions—AT&T, Coca-Cola and Pontiac—and the following elite companies as official Corporate Partners—Enterprise, The Hartford, Hershey’s, Lowe's, Sheraton and State Farm.
NCAA, Final Four, The Big Dance, Hoop City, Road to the Final Four and March Madness are licensed by or trademarks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
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