TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay is counting down the days until next year's NCAA Women's Final Four that will be held at Amalie Arena.
This will be the fourth time Tampa has hosted the event. The Tampa Bay Sports Commission got an inside look at this year's Final Four events at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, according to a news release.
They learned about the load-in timeline, volunteer operation, community programming and the footprint needs for corporate partners, such as power and internet capacity. They also met with the Cleveland Local Organizing Committee, which gave feedback about their experience hosting the tournament.
“These tours are always extremely beneficial to provide a glimpse behind the green curtain and an overview of what to expect,’’ said Claire Lessinger, the commission's vice president of events.
It will also impact the local economy as people from all over the country travel to the area to watch the games.
The announcement came in 2020, and the sporting event will return to Ohio in 2027.
Tampa Bay hosted the event in 2008, 2015 and 2019. No other city will have held more, except Indianapolis and San Antonio will tie the mark at four when they host the games in the upcoming years.
“We are also one sleep away from going on the clock and getting to work … that is if we can sleep,’’ Lessinger said. “The excitement is real and our time is next!’’
The University of South Florida and Tampa Bay Sports Commission will host the Final Four on April 4 and 6, 2025.
